The Skeptical Shaman Season 2
What to expect when you're expecting a new season of spiritual skepticism...or is it skeptical spirituality?!?
Season 2 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast is coming this October, and I can’t wait to share all of these incredible—and dynamic— discussions with all of you!
Our first episode, with the illustrious Elisha Halpin, will be previewed here on Substack a week early for paid subscribers— and early previews will continue to come throughout the season for our paid supporters!
Elisha and I will be talking about adrenal fatigue and nervous system recovery, and this episode kicks off a season that explores new, modern and skeptical takes on the world of woo: astrology, the spiritual and personal coaching industry, breaking out of Christian fundamentalism, what it’s like to be a recovering youth pastor, the latest in shady shit, sociopaths and scams, navigating love exile, Saturn Returns, taking a retreat to move forward, and literally digging up the dead— via archeology!!!
And this is just a quick snapshot— there will be much, much more and we’re planning to release new episodes every week through the end of 2023.
If you haven’t yet, please like, share and subscribe to The Skeptical Shaman podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen. I’ll be doing another Review Raffle at the end of 2023, so if you haven’t yet: please rate and review (and email me a screenshot) to enter. Not only do I send out some pretty cool swag to multiple winners of the raffle, but it helps us maintain momentum, build listenership, and get the kind of guests that you want to hear from. Trust me when I tell you: the number one currency in podcasts is the number of ratings and reviews— more so that downloads or listens!
Producing this podcast is a big effort that requires a substantive investment of time, energy and capital, but I think it’s an ultimately worthy endeavor: presenting a nuanced take on complex spiritual topics, ultimately empowering the listener to balance their curiosity with a healthy sense of skepticism.
There is a strange, new stereotype about spirituality and spiritual people that has emerged in the last decade or so: that to believe in anything beyond the material reality immediately in front of your face, you must be kind of silly, stupid or full of shit.
I resent this false equivalency, and I reject the soft bigotry on your behalf as much as on my own. I spend my days talking to and engaging with some of the most intelligent, successful and, above all else, rational people in my work as a shaman. I feel a responsibility to represent our community and provide a “safe space” for the spiritually-homeless to explore, experience and question.
Our reality is not binary. It’s not “either/ or”. We can be rational or successful or logical or skeptical and still want to ask the deep questions: why are we here? what is a soul? what is my life’s purpose? is there anything to the woo?
Thank you all for your support during Season 1, and thank you in advance for your continued engagement and feedback as we head into Season 2!!!
-Rachel