Thresholders Podcast

My guest today is Zenith Virago.

Zenith is known as a Deathwalker, an educator and a ceremonialist, offering guidance, support and care to enable and empower people to be as informed, open and courageous as they can, and to experience their dying and their loss in the best way they can. Simply put, she accompanies and guides people in their losses.

Zenith is the EO and founding member of the Australian Charity, the Natural Death Care Centre, Co-author of The Intimacy of Death and Dying, subject of the International independent documentary “Zen & the Art of Dying”, and Patron of the Good Funeral Guide, UK.

In this episode Zenith and I discuss:

- How caring for our own dead makes for a healthier bereavement

- The role of the Deathwalker (also commonly referred to as a Death Doula - a term Zenith does not use)

- Suffering as Love transformed

- Vulnerability and Courage as two wings of the same bird

- Death work as “Last Aid” support

- Reclaiming the old ways of doing death

- The funeral industry as “the old guard”

- the unstoppable power of the “third wave” of death workers

- The importance of preparing both on the outside and the inside for our death

- And so much more!

You can find Zenith and her offerings on her websites:

https://www.zenithvirago.com/

https://www.naturaldeathcarecentre.org/

https://zenandtheartofdying.com/zenith-virago/

Welcome to Thresholders Podcast! In this episode I speak with Elaine Alghani, founder of “One Love Foundational Healing”, an integrative, Shamanic and Expressive Arts modality.

Elaine and I discuss many aspects of self awareness, healing, the shifting nature of the now times, and being by in right relationship with all the experiences that life offers us. We explore the medicine wheel as a sacred cosmology to live by, the importance of embracing a “listening” practice, and how we might make a good home for the guidance we receive.

Elaine is in the process of building her website, but you can reach her via email to inquire about her many offerings and to get on her newsletter. [email protected]

In this episode I speak to my brilliant friend, Dr. Vanessa Passov. 

Dr. Vanessa has been in private practice for 25 years, helping people navigate chronic illness and autoimmunity. Her roots began with a degree in chiropractic and she went on from there to get a master’s in Traditional Chinese Medicine, became a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, a Certified Autoimmune Protocol Coach, and is a Certified Functional Medicine Clinician. In this episode we discuss:

-The best and the worst of healthcare

-Iatrogenic diseases 

-The tsunami of autoimmune diseases we are experiencing, and why they are so prevalent

-Keeping hope alive

-Tapping into the beautiful mystery of the universe

-What we can do to support ourselves in both health and sickness

-Epigenetics

-When healing is no longer possible, and so much more!!!

Dr. Vanessa sees people in person and remotely and is currently constructing a series of courses to help people DIY it with functional medicine for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, gut health, and autoimmunity. 

You can find her offerings at

https://drvanessapassov.com/

In this episode I speak to Rebecca Avrett Ulizio of Two Bear Farm in Whitefish, Montana.

Rebecca is a woman grounded in nature, with a profound connection to plants and the thrill of the wild. This deep bond with nature has guided her towards organic farming, activism, plant medicine, indigenous culture and music. Rebecca strongly believes in the purpose of creating beauty on this earth and has devoted her life to this artistic pursuit.

Rebecca and I have a wonderful discussion about organic farming, aligning with the earths cycles and seasons, the power of music and singing in community, creating beauty as a form of prayer, the drawbacks of “proficiency” and getting overly attached to personal/professional labels, community council as a ceremonial practice, the healing power of breathwork, and SO much more!

I could have talked to Rebecca for another hour - I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

You can find Rebecca and her offerings on her Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/rebecca.avrett.ulizio

You can find her and her husband’s organic farm on their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/twobearfarm

In this thought-provoking episode I speak with Soul Level Astrologer Mark Borax.

Mark has been a nomadic poet his whole life, living a rich and wild story of adventure and discovery before he created Soul Level Astrology in 1987. Mark has authored and co-authored 3 books, most recently "The Ruby Heart of the Dragon".

In 2008, Mark and his wife Marcella Eversole founded The College of Visionaries and Wizards which teaches students around the world to read birth charts the way Mark does, and to live by the soul.

In this episode Mark and I discuss:

-the birth chart as a multi-dimensional portrayal of the souls journey

-entheogens as tools for awakening

-the Karmic Theater currently playing out on the world stage

- the "cusp" theory and why Mark doesn't subscribe to it

-Lots of deep diving around the sun signs Libra (Mark) and Virgo (Saoirse)

-The 60's movement and how it compares to the revolution of today

-The-End-Of-Everything-That-Never-Worked-Right-In-The-First-Place

-Invitations from the Year of the Dragon, and SO much more!

You can find Mark and his work (and book a session with him) at: www.markborax.com

To learn about Mark and Marcella's training program you can visit: www.soullevelastrology.com

To purchase the companion series of podcasts that illuminate sections of his book The Ruby Heart of the Dragon, please visit: www.therubyheartofthedragon.com

In this episode, I speak with Ahram Arya about his initiatory journey through toxic mold poisoning as well as some aspects of Human Design and plant medicine, both of which he discovered to be immensely helpful for healing, self awareness and spiritual evolution.

Ahram is a coach, intuitive, and healer who helps people and teams optimize themselves. Recently, he founded Toxic Mold Hero, a service to educate and support others to successfully navigate the journey through toxic mold and back to a healthy life.

You can find Ahram and his offerings at his website:

https://ahramarya.org/

You can also find his work and offerings for toxic mold support here:

https://www.toxicmoldhero.com/

In this episode I speak with Andrea Terrones, a mother, healer, and educator dedicated to feminine embodiment and supporting women through various life stages.

Andrea works at the intersection of traditional healing practices from her Mexican indigenous lineage and modern science. From this place, she created a unique hands-on, hands-in bodywork healing practice.

We discuss Andrea’s journey which includes starting (and ultimately discontinuing) medical school, becoming a doula, her dedication to postpartum care, her holistic approach to healing (such as scar tissue remediation and pelvic care), and the necessity of reconnecting with our bodies for profound transformation and radical self-care.

She is the founder of Ma, a project dedicated to supporting women’s sexual and reproductive health throughout the womb continuum. She is also co-founder of Ma School, where she trains others in hands-on care that supports women's physiology and the female pelvis.  

You can connect with Andrea and her work via the following links:

http://www.mawomenshealth.com

http://www.maschool.co

In this episode, licensed midwife Marcy Kuntz and I discuss a range of topics relating to birth midwifery including misconceptions people have about homebirth, the importance of informed consent, building trust and relationship through pregnancy, the birth/death portals as sacred entrance/exit to human life, babies having an appointed time, and so much more!

Marcy is a licensed midwife in the state of Montana.  After a crazy birth experience with her first child in 1984, she vowed to become an avid supporter of birth choices.  She began attending births as a doula in 1986 and eventually started her own Midwifery practice in 2005 to continue supporting birth choices and to offer women love and care during pregnancy, labor, delivery and beyond.

This is a topic near and dear to my heart, as I got to experience firsthand via the birth of my son in 2022 the beautifully solid space that Marcy holds in her work.

Marcy’s website:

http://www.birthwithinsight.com

In today’s episode I speak with multi-talented Finnish healing practitioner Tanjariitta Anttila.

We discuss a plethora of topics including the powerful nature of the old Finnish healing traditions (in which Tanjariitta is trained) such as sauna, cold plunging, peat moss treatments, wet cupping and leech therapy, as well as her background as a clinical therapist with a focus in somatics.

We also speak about our rather similar dark night of the soul experiences via death of a parent, what these changing times might be asking of us, and how we can meet the unknown with grace and acceptance, even when it’s scary.

Tanjariitta has an expressive arts retreat upcoming in September of 2024 called “Sacred Chaos” which will be a residential retreat on the gorgeous land that holds Blue Star Resort and Retreat Center in Columbia Falls, Montana.

I loved every second of this conversation and I know you will too!

Tanjariitta’s website: https://www.tanjariitta.com

Sauna 60 website: https://www.sauna60.com

Blue Star Resort and Retreat Center website: https://www.bluestarresortmt.com

In this episode, Stella Davies and I discuss her transition from the female archetype of “Mother” to what she calls “Cronette” or Crone-in-Training, which came on the heels of her hysterectomy.

Stella’s journey through grief, acceptance and healing has landed her in a renewed place of fresh inspiration and reinvigorated purpose in her life’s work.

We explore many other topics including energy healing, the power of ceremony in community, harnessing the energies of menstruation, how we can support young girls coming into their cycles, the gifts of working with the seasons and cycles of nature, and much more.

I hope you enjoy our conversation which I feel is a must-hear for women, particularly those who are moving into menopausal years.

Stella is a Reiki Master, a Sound Healer, and a Shamanic Practitioner who offers one on one sessions and group gatherings in Los Angeles, and has a very exciting “swim with the dolphins” retreat offering in May of 2025.

Stella’s Website: https://www.stelladavies.com