The WitchHunt Podcast

Welcome to Episode 32, part 2 of Odd and Awed : A mind blowing counter-cultural conversation with anti-capitalist agents of the Divine Feminine & badass word witch authors, Amy Torak and Risa Dickens.

In this second part of this interview with Amy and Risa, we dive into some of the topics that weave their way through their books New Moon Magic: 13 Anti-Capitalist Tools for Resistance and Re-enchantment (coming out in September 2023), and Missing Witches: Reclaiming True Histories of Feminist Magic — one of my all time favorite books on witches.

Just to give you a taste of the juiciness…

We talk about the complex historical relationship between science and magic, including the politics of science that matters, and how Witches were actually the first real scientists. We talk about the dysfunctionality of the global economic system and its’ lack of learning from nature’s lessons on the critical importance of diversity and balance. We talk about indigenous knowledge, the difference between reconciliation and reparation for indigenous peoples as well as the problem — and potential — of white guilt.

If you’re curious about radically expanding your perspective and tuning into a much needed intersectional take on everything witch-related, then brew your tea and set aside a good delicious hour to listen to this mind expanding episode.

xx

Alex

More about Amy and Risa

Risa Dickens and Amy Torok are the co-authors of New Moon Magic: 13 Anti-Capitalist Tools for Resistance and Re-enchantment September 2023, and Missing Witches: Reclaiming True Histories of Feminist Magic, March 2021. BUST magazine wrote “Dickens and Torok teach us what it means to create art, engage in activism, and exist at the intersection of witchcraft and feminism.” Find their books, podcast, zine and coven at MissingWitches.com

And a few of those intersectional feminist resources mentioned:

God is a Black Woman by Christena Cleveland 

Spells, Ceremonies & Magic by Migene González-Wippler 

Decolonization is for Everyone by Nikki Sanchez (YouTube video)

Happy first New Moon of 2023! 

I’m so excited to share this episode with you — it’s raw and real and full of fun!



In it I interview the authors of one of the best witchy books I’ve read — Missing Witches, who happen to be super smart counter-cultural anti-capitalist agents of the divine feminine, Amy Torak and Risa Dickens.

Because the share is so incredibly valuable I’ve decided to share it in 2 parts.

In today's airing — part 1 — you'll hear about Amy and Risa’s personal experiences as best friend witches. We talk about the magic that brought these witches together, what it was growing up in the 1980s as a “freak”, Divine, the Drag Queen, urban and rural witchcraft, the magic of straight lines and projective geometry and so much more!

This is a mind blowing philosophical conversation between 3 witches (I'm including myself in there) — each born in Ontario, Canada and raised (or not so much) by single moms (curious, right?).

These incredible women are the real deal my friends and I’m not exaggerating when I say that the episode is going to blow your mind!

Enjoy!

xx

Alex


More about Amy and Risa.

Risa Dickens and Amy Torok are the co-authors of New Moon Magic: 13 Anti-Capitalist Tools for Resistance and Re-enchantment September 2023, and Missing Witches: Reclaiming True Histories of Feminist Magic, March 2021. BUST magazine wrote “Dickens and Torok teach us what it means to create art, engage in activism, and exist at the intersection of witchcraft and feminism.” Find their books, podcast, zine and coven at MissingWitches.com

Wowza! Talk about cutting through the BS and and diving into the messy truth of spirituality on Earth (or at least in North America)!  

When I met Pleasance Silicki at her Lil ‘Omm yoga studio in 2013, how was I to know that she’d rock my world so deeply — each and every time we met!  

Pleasance went from being my yoga teacher, to business collaborator, to dear friend and now to fellow Priestess.  And I’m so excited to share my reconnection with her — 9 years later — with you.

In this episode, Pleasance he talks about her endless search for place in the world, the healing power of moon walks and cyclical living, honoring our bodies as temples of the soul, the importance of death ritual, sourcing wisdom from within. We speak to our taught resistance to ease and the rise of pleasure-validation, masculine structures that hold feminine flow.   

And of course, the way all of this supports us individually and collectively to be the activists that trailblaze the life-design and social-design needed to create a more inclusive and just world for ALL.  

Get ready to be blown away by this courageous multi-passionate, incredibly wise teacher and fire walker!  

Enjoy!  

xx Alex

More about Pleasance and her magic:

Weaving her way through many worlds, Pleasance Silicki ( she/her), M.S.ED, Rising Kohenet (Hebrew Priestess), is a multi- passionate community leader. She believes in regenerative ways of working, being, caring and healing that align with cycles of nature, dismantling systems of oppression and the interconnectedness of all things.

She has an academic background in the Sociology of Education and has taught in all age classrooms from preschool- university. With extensive training in Ayurveda, Yoga, Positive Psychology, Mind- Body Medicine, Integrative Nutrition, Trauma Resolution, Ancestral Healing, Death & Grief Support, Leadership & Facilitation she integrates a variety of modalities in her offerings from workshops, private sessions to retreats.

As a community creatrix, she guides through circles of healing and transformation in person and on- line using inter-spiritual practices/teachings. She supports humans thru the cycles and spirals of of life and death. Pleasance is a community care and equity justice activist, as well as the Community Outreach Coordinator for Iona Senior Services. Through mentoring, Pleasance supports others with goal setting, accountability, aligned actions and outcomes -based planning to bring dreams to life.

She is the founder of lil omm yoga, the LOLA Community, Thrive, The Village, a co- founder of Septima Clark Public Charter School, National Kids Yoga Conference and the author of Delight: 8 Principles for Living with Joy & Ease and a podcaster since 2018. She served as an Adjunct faculty member at George Mason University, American University and Maryland University of Integrative Health where she taught Stress Management, Mindful Explorations, Ayurvedic Psychology, Race/ Social Identity and Power.

She loves playing cards with her 2 children, Saylor and Milo, reading library books & walking her dog while listening to a podcast. She lives in Washington, DC on Piscataway land with her partner of over 25 years and is looking forward to becoming a Chaplain in the next phase of her life.

How to find Pleasance and her magic:

Rising Kohenet 

Guide & Facilitator

Offerings/ Sessions 

Goodies 

Home 

Podcast

You can reach out directly to Pleasance at: [email protected]

Books we talked about: Adrienne Maree Brown’s: Emergent strategy

Welcome to episode 4 of our Mini-Series, Patriarchy Detox Explained.

In this episode, I talk about soul growth and expansion, and why honoring our intentions and realizing our goals towards a higher version of ourselves, isn’t as simple as willing and pushing our way through.

We’ll talk about how trauma serves to keep us safe (and small), where that trauma comes from, where it lives, and how to shift it.

Disclaimer: while I'm talking about trauma, my shared experience and perspective on trauma is not meant to replace professional mental health or medical advice.  

In the episode, I make reference to the following (all highly recommended reading for anyone interested in exploring trauma and Patriarchy Stress Disorder further):

Dr. Valerie Rein's Patriarchy Stress Disorder: The Invisible Inner Barrier to Women's Happiness and Fulfillment

Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk’s book: The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma

In this episode, I also invite soul-led sensitive mum entrepreneurs to join me in my upcoming signature zero cost training: How Sensitive Witchy Mums Can Make $2500 per month in their Soul-Led Business, Without Missing Pickups or School Plays which will take place under the power of the Full Moon on January 6 at 11am Eastern.

In this training, I'll walk you through:

— A simple mum-friendly business model for sensitive souls ready to generate consistent scalable $2.5K/ months, without missing out on pickups or school plays

— Even if you don't believe that you have what it takes, how you can reach a consistent $2.5K/ month revenue in a way that feels easeful and natural

— How to embrace soulpreneurship in a way that makes you a more present mama (and even better role model) for your littles.

You can register for this free training by going to https://www.alexandrahughes.com/freetraining

The magic discount code for WitchHunt listeners who choose to join the intimate Simple & Sacred business incubator, with a discount of $333 is WITCHESRISE. This code will be valid until January 20 2023.

If you’ve found this mini-series useful, please share it with a friend. 

As you know by now, my mission centers around inspiring and teaching sensitive witchy women how to detoxify their internalized patriarchy so that they can stop living their life from a place of obligation and external definitions of what it is to be a good mother, wife and woman. 

And instead, start to redefine and then create a new way of being and doing life, motherhood, partnership and entrepreneurship.

I’m honored and excited that you’re here to join the post-patriarchal adventure

Blessed Be. 

And Thank you.

xx

Alex

Welcome to episode 3 of our Mini-Series, Patriarchy Detox Explained.

In this episode, I talk about women’s tendency to over function and overdo. Our addiction to busy-ness, where it comes from and what to do about it. Or, at least, 5 specific shifts I made to heal myself of it. 

I make reference to the following resources (all highly recommended reading for Witches out there):

Dr. Sara Gottfried, as referenced in the article: https://thechalkboardmag.com/overfunctioning/

Tiffany Dufu's Drop The Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less

Kate Northrup's Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach to Time and Energy Management for Busy Moms

Brené Brown's Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

In this episode, I also invite soul-led sensitive mum entrepreneurs to join me in my upcoming signature zero cost training: How Sensitive Witchy Mums Can Make $2500 per month in their Soul-Led Business, Without Missing Pickups or School Plays which will take place under the power of the Full Moon on January 6 at 11am Eastern.

In this training, I'll walk you through:

— A simple mum-friendly business model for sensitive souls ready to generate consistent scalable $2.5K/ months, without missing out on pickups or school plays

— Even if you don't believe that you have what it takes, how you can reach a consistent $2.5K/ month revenue in a way that feels easeful and natural

— How to embrace soulpreneurship in a way that makes you a more present mama (and even better role model) for your littles.

You can register for this free training by going to https://www.alexandrahughes.com/freetraining

 The magic discount code for WitchHunt listeners who choose to join the intimate Simple & Sacred business incubator, with a discount of $333 is WITCHESRISE. This code will be valid until January 20 2023.

In tomorrow’s episode, I’m going to talk about taking uncomfortable steps towards personal growth and soul-led expansion. 

We’ll talk about how trauma serves to keep us safe (and small), where that trauma comes from and how to shift it to heal our way into a version of ourself that can up level more easily — and that involves manifesting with more ease, stepping into your power, living from a place of energetic alignment.   

Hasta mañana my love,

Alex

Welcome to episode 2 of our Mini-Series, Patriarchy Detox Explained. 

In this episode, I talk about the first thing I learned, practiced and have now mastered in my journey detoxifying my internalized patriarchy. And that is a witchy alternative way for women to manage their energy and time…a way that’s based on the wisdom of natural cycles, including the magic that lives inside our incredible female bodies. 

In this episode, I also invite soul-led sensitive mum entrepreneurs to join me in my upcoming signature zero cost training: How Sensitive Witchy Mums Can Make $2500 per month in their Soul-Led Business, Without Missing Pickups or School Plays which will take place under the power of the Full Moon on January 6 at 11am Eastern.

In this training, I'll walk you through:

—  A simple mum-friendly business model for sensitive souls ready to generate consistent scalable $2.5K/ months, without missing out on pickups or school plays  

— Even if you don't believe that you have what it takes, how you can reach a consistent $2.5K/ month revenue in a way that feels easeful and natural  

— How to embrace soulpreneurship in a way that makes you a more present mama (and even better role model) for your littles.

You can register for this free training by going to https://www.alexandrahughes.com/freetraining

And if you're feeling called to explore how we can work together to up-level your business and bring your soul-led business dreams to life, I invite listeners to join me on a free Simple & Sacred strategy session. You can go ahead and schedule right here: https://calendly.com/sacredliving/soulpreneurincubator

The magic discount code for WitchHunt listeners who choose to join the intimate Simple & Sacred business incubator, with a discount of $333 is WITCHESRISE.

This code will be valid until January 20 2023.

Episode 3 is about detoxifying and cleansing our tendency to over function and overdo. Our addiction to busy-ness.

I’ll speak to the power of focus and keeping it (whatever "it" is), simple. And share with you 5 things I've done to help me navigate being me doing life in a do less, body-first way.

Hasta mañana my love,

Alex

Yay! And welcome to episode one of the WitchHunt mini-series — Patriarchy Detox Explained.

In this episode, I tell you a little about my journey and soul work and I walk you through what is to come in this mini-series.

Patriarchy Detox Explains holds the specific intention of sharing with you THE 3 MOST IMPACTFUL ways that I’ve detoxified my life as a highly sensitive, soul-led entrepreneur and conscious mother of 3.

It's made up of 4 episodes, including this one that will air back to back, over 3 consecutive days.

I also invite soul-led sensitive mum entrepreneurs to join me in my upcoming signature zero cost training: How Sensitive Witchy Mums Can Make $2500 per month in their Soul-Led Business, Without Missing Pickups or School Plays which will take place under the power of the Full Moon on January 6 at 11am Eastern.

In this training, I'll walk you through:

—  A simple mum-friendly business model for sensitive souls ready to generate consistent scalable $2.5K/ months, without missing out on pickups or school plays  

— Even if you don't believe that you have what it takes, how you can reach a consistent $2.5K/ month revenue in a way that feels easeful and natural  

— How to embrace soulpreneurship in a way that makes you a more present mama (and even better role model) for your littles.

You can register for this free training by going to 👉 https://www.alexandrahughes.com/freetraining

And if you're feeling called to explore how we can work together to up-level your business and bring your soul-led business dreams to life, I invite listeners to join me on a free Simple & Sacred strategy session. You can go ahead and schedule right here: https://calendly.com/sacredliving/soulpreneurincubator

The magic discount code for WitchHunt listeners who choose to join the intimate Simple & Sacred business incubator, with a discount of $333 is WITCHESRISE.

This code will be valid until January 20 2023.

In tomorrow's episode, I’m going to talk about the first thing I learned, practiced and have now mastered — and that is a witchy alternative way for women to manage their energy and time.  I’ll walk you through an alternative approach that is based on the wisdom of natural cycles, including the one that lies in our female bodies. 

Looking forward to that,

Alex

To celebrate our one year anniversary some of our wonderful witchy guests agreed (last minute) to share their December Solstice (Northern Hemisphere) tips with our listeners. Enjoy the tips, hacks and wisdom shared, along with some exciting announcements on what is to come! Happy Solstice ❄️ xx Alex

Welcome to episode 24 of the WitchHunt podcast, featuring an incredibly courageous and beautiful soul, Arlia Hoffman.

In this episode, Arlia shares with us the tender and inspiring story of how she stepped out of the perfect mom life, into a life of counter-cultural sovereignty.

She tells us about her divorce, and most incredible rebirth. Rebirth into a truth that meant leaving her family and living a revolutionary life where she honored her true poly-amorous, bisexual self, role modeling self-defined sovereignty to her daughters.

She tells us how she knows when she’s doing “the right thing”, the magic of body and intuitive-led micro-choices and what being monogamous to her own soul means to her.

Arlia's story of bold courage is going to blow you away. And I know you’re going to love her gentle yet strong and inspiring energy.

Enjoy this episode with this beautiful Priestess of Aphrodite.

x

Alex

P.S. Please note that in honor of Winter’s coming on in the Northern Hemisphere — our blessed season of rest — the WitchHunt podcast is going to take a sacred pause over this coming moon cycle. Our next episode will air near to the December solstice. 

This is a chance to catch-up on missed episode AND, if you’re a WitchHunt podcast junkie, join us on our WitchHunt Wednesday tea dates which will continue over the course of November — every Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 Eastern. Head on over to my personal Instagram account @alex_inessence and are a chance for you to meet our WitchHunt guests, to ask questions and to step deeper into the wisdom they offer. Hope to see you there!

P.P.S. Help me make the WitchHunt podcast better by CLICKING HERE and filling out a 3-minute survey 🙏.

More about Arlia and her magic

Arlia Hoffman is founder of The Women’s Agency. She is a podcast coach and producer, and an advocate for women in podcasting. After leaving the corporate world and having a spiritual awakening before the age of 40, Arlia created her own media company working in photography, social media and website design.  Ten year later, she earned Masters in Depth Psychology and began coaching women and working in leadership development.   Since 2020, Arlia has been a busy podcast producer and host of her own podcast, “The Women’s Sanctuary.”  She recently founded The Women’s Agency, a full-service coaching and production company designed to empower women’s voices.   Arlia has found her true passion combining her expertise as a podcast producer and her love for helping women step into their full power.

You can find her at Arliahoffman.com and Thewomenssanctuary.com

Welcome to episode 23 of the WitchHunt podcast where you get the privilege of meeting Beth Ryan Powers.

Beth is a Visibility Witchwound healer who supports the rise of the divine feminine through her work as a video coach and editor extraordinaire.

In this episode, Beth shares with us how she alchemized what she witnessed in her parents’ failed marriage into a personal commitment to show up unequivocally whole, as her future-telling, card pulling, crystal loving witchy self. She tells us what it took for her to show up to life her whole hide-nothing self, and how this has naturally translated into her work as a video coach and editor extraordinaire.

She tells us how she helps women with both the masculine and feminine components of showing up whole, authentic, magnetic, and as leaders in front of the camera. And how this work spreads into other aspects of her clients’ lives, supporting the rise of the Divine Feminine and feminine leadership in the world.

This is another fabulous juicy conversation here on the WitchHunt podcast that you aren’t going to want to miss!

Enjoy!

xx

Alex

P.S. {{first_name}}, our first WitchHunt Wednesday IG Live tea date is this week. I'm exciting to be diving into conversation with Susan DeVriend from Episode 19 — The Mystery & Magic of Words: wise musings from psychic heart whispering mystic & healer. We'll be diving into the juicier bits of our chat and answering any questions you may have...hit reply with your Qs or join us LIVE tomorrow, Wednesday 27 at 2:30pm EST to ask this heart whispering psychic, mystic and healer anything your hear desires 💖. 

>> CLICK HERE to join us live at the time of our chat.

(And if you want a refresh of her original podcast interview, CLICK HERE). 

P.P.S. I’d love to learn what you want more of, and less of from the podcast. To gather your insight, I’ve created a super simple 3-minute survey

>> CLICK HERE TO FILL SURVEY<<

Help me make this podcast even more amazing by sharing how it lands for you. With thanks xx

More About Beth and her magic

Beth Powers is the creative video editor behind some of the biggest names in the online marketing industry, including Sarah Jenks, Kate Northrup, and Amy Porterfield. Besides working with her 1:1 clients, she leads retreats and group programs to holistically help female entrepreneurs create their online programs through tech, strategy, soul, and feminine embodiment. Beth lives in the U.S. with her husband, son, and dog. 

You can find her magic (seriously!) on Instagram @bethpowerscreative, or via her website: bethpowerscreative.com