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Queerly Beloved

Wil Fisher

Join your host, Wil Fisher (AKA "I Am Sylvia Wil Gather Rainbow"), for playful and profound interviews with amazing LGBTQIA+ peeps working in the field of spirituality and personal growth. Wil is a life coach, spiritual healer, and drag queen who loves getting super wu and chatting with fascinating folx about all things spiritually queer and queerly spiritual. You'll love hearing guests' spiritual path stories and gain knowledge as they share discoveries, insights and wisdom. Plus, these interviews tend to be a lot of fun- so expect to have some of that as well...! 

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  • 20 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 44 min
  • English

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  • S4 · E21
    Wednesday · 25 min

    Connecting with the Warrior Within

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when you intentionally ask life for “warrior training”… and life responds by putting a 50-pound backpack on you and sending you straight up a mountain? In this solo episode, Wil shares the story of an eight-day, 32+ mile backpacking journey through Sequoia National Park that became one of the most physically demanding experiences of his life. Going into the trip, Wil set an intention to discover more deeply what he was capable of. That intention was tested almost immediately: steep climbs, intense knee pain, blazing sun, thousands of feet of elevation gain, exhaustion, and one particularly brutal 13-hour day that ended with him slowly descending a mountain alone in the dark. And yet, somewhere inside the experience of having absolutely nothing left, Wil discovered that somehow… he could still take another step. But the warrior training wasn’t only about individual strength. It also became a lesson in receiving help, generosity, vulnerability, brotherhood, and the extraordinary intimacy that can emerge when people move through something difficult together. In this episode, Wil explores: The fears he carried into the wilderness A sacred (and somewhat silly!) dream involving “mall angels” What a grueling day in the mountains taught him about perseverance Discovering strength beyond the mind’s declaration of “I can’t do this anymore” How shared hardship created profound brotherhood among the nine men Finding joy in skinny-dipping, mud, ramen, creek water, stars, and simple acts of service Improving his relationship with meditation and stillness How eight days almost entirely without a phone changed his experience of presence Encountering Shiva through the themes of dissolution, transformation, endings, and renewal Holding grief and heartbreak alongside the possibility that endings can also contain mystery, sacredness, and meaning Ultimately, Wil returned home with a deeper knowing: I can do hard shit. And that knowing isn’t just about hiking mountains. Most of us have some metaphorical mountain waiting in our lives- something uncertain, uncomfortable, or frightening that asks us to become bigger than the version of ourselves we currently know. Maybe you don’t have to know that you can make it all the way to the top. Maybe you only need enough courage to take one step. And then another. And another. Sometimes we have to climb the mountain to remember who we truly are. Connect with Wil: wil-fullyliving.com Instagram: @wilfullyliving Check out Inirly (the group that organized the trip): https://www.inirly.com/ If Queerly Beloved speaks to you, subscribe, share the episode with someone you love, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Support the show

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  • S4 · E20
    September 9 · 49 min

    Trading Grind Culture for Nature’s Rhythm with Emily Greenway

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil speaks with Emily Greenway, a former clinical researcher who now works as a burnout and stress coach, energetic reader, and teacher of ritual and energetic mastery. Through Rise to Her and the ROOTED community, Emily blends her research background with archetypal wisdom to help spiritually conscious entrepreneurs and leaders question inherited systems and build lives rooted in their own power. Emily shares her journey from growing up in a working-class Southern Baptist family in rural South Carolina to gradually dismantling the religious, patriarchal, and cultural expectations that shaped her understanding of who she was supposed to be. Through education, travel, spiritual exploration, and embracing her queerness, she learned to recognize when an old structure no longer reflected her truth, it was time to find the courage to let it fall. Together, Wil and Emily explore how desire can become a compass when it’s separated from shame, morality, and the pressure to prove our worth. They discuss Emily’s concept of the “soul code”: the deeper themes, values, joys, and patterns that continually guide us back toward who we are beneath our conditioning. The conversation also turns toward joy as a form of rebellion. Emily explains that joy doesn’t require bypassing pain or ignoring injustice. Instead, being willing to experience grief, pleasure, desire, and the full range of human sensation can help us stay connected to our creativity and power within systems that profit from our disconnection. Together, they explore: Distinguishing authentic desires from desires shaped by capitalism and patriarchy Releasing shame and rigid ideas of right and wrong Understanding the difference between core human needs and a personal soul code Breaking structures that no longer support our truth Emily’s journey through religious deconstruction and queer self-discovery Why joy and grief belong on the same emotional spectrum Reclaiming the senses as sources of wisdom and discernment Working with the Wheel of the Year and nature’s cycles Disentangling our energy from grind culture, urgency, and endless productivity This episode is an invitation to remember that we aren’t merely caretakers of the Earth—we are the Earth—and that our joy can help make us burn-proof in a culture determined to burn us out. Connect with Emily Visit Rise to Her Explore the ROOTED Community Connect with Queerly Beloved Wil's Upcoming retreat in Costa Rica- https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/awakened-hearts-nye Willfully Living Follow Wil on Instagram Support the show

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  • S4 · E19
    August 28 · 1 hr 16 min

    Saving Our Souls from the Clutches of Technology with Shannon Algeo

    Send us Fan Mail What if the thing you reach for dozens or hundreds of times a day isn’t simply a tool? In this episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil sits down with psychotherapist, author, and teacher Shannon Algeo (he/him), MA, AMFT, APCC, author of Trust Your Truth and the new book The Power in Your Hands: Liberate Yourself from Attachment to Technology. Shannon’s work offers a fascinating lens on our increasingly intimate relationship with technology: the connection of compulsive smartphone use with insecure attachment patterns. Our phones can become something like surrogate attachment figures- reliable places to seek stimulation, soothing, connection, validation, or escape when being present with ourselves or another human feels harder. Wil brings his own recent exploration into the conversation, sharing discoveries about the ways his social-media algorithm seems to hook different “parts” of him- parts afraid of missing out, being manipulated, or not being enough. Together, Wil and Shannon explore a deliciously provocative question: What might your algorithm reveal about you? And if the things that repeatedly capture your attention are pointing toward unmet needs, fears, desires, or wounds, could noticing those hooks actually become part of a healing practice? They also explore how social media can interfere with the very capacities human beings need for deep relationship: sustained attention, spaciousness, solitude, emotional presence, and the willingness to tolerate the glorious inefficiency of another human being. Together, they explore: How attachment theory can help explain compulsive smartphone use Why intermittent rewards keep us checking apps over and over The difference between having a desire and having an algorithm manufacture one What our personalized feeds reveal about our fears, fantasies, wounds, and needs How phones can become an escape from uncomfortable emotions Why real human relationships require friction, inconvenience, and vulnerability The importance of reclaiming solitude, creativity, wonder, and unstructured time Practical tools like one sec, app blocking, digital sabbaths, and simpler phones The possibility of joining a growing renaissance of rehumanization Near the end of the conversation, Shannon offers perhaps the most hopeful reminder of all: this way of living is remarkably new. We are not permanently wired for endless scrolling. Our relationship with technology can change. When we reclaim our attention, we also reclaim room for what matters: creativity, intimacy, embodiment, purpose, play, and the messy, inconvenient, miraculous people right in front of us. Connect with Shannon Shannon Algeo: shannonalgeo.com The Power in Your Hands: https://www.shannonalgeo.com/book Trust Your Truth: http://www.trustyourtruthbook.com/ Resources Mentioned one sec: one-sec.app The Light Phone: thelightphone.com Brick: Get Brick Strother School of Radical Attention: School of Radical Attention The Offline Club: The Offline Club Johann Hari / Stolen Focus: Johann Hari Stay Connected with Queerly Beloved Website: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilfish99/ If this conversation moved you, please subscribe to Queerly Beloved, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who might be ready to reclaim a little more of their attention—and their life. Support the show

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  • S4 · E18
    August 12 · 23 min

    Who’s Holding the Phone: You or Your Parts?

    Send us Fan Mail What if the things that hook you on your phone could actually teach you something about yourself? In this solo episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil shares insights from a recent intentional MDMA journey that led him into a deeper exploration of his relationship with technology, emotions, and different “parts” of himself. Through Internal Family Systems (IFS)–inspired parts work, Wil meets Ping Pong, a busy-body, stimulation-seeking part that wants him to experience everything life has to offer while also protecting him from difficult emotions. As well as Shy, a part that fears what might happen if Wil becomes too visible, successful, connected, or happy. As these parts begin to soften, a bigger realization emerges: the algorithms on our phones may be especially good at identifying—and hooking—the vulnerable parts of ourselves. What if the reels that trigger our envy, FOMO, desire, insecurity, outrage, or need for validation aren't just distractions? What if they can also become trailheads—opportunities to get curious about what is happening inside us? In this episode, Wil explores: How parts work can help us relate to ourselves with more curiosity and compassion The connection between busyness, stimulation, and avoiding difficult emotions Why reaching for our phones can sometimes be an emotional protection strategy How social media algorithms can hook and feed different parts of ourselves Creating greater sovereignty and intentionality in our relationship with technology Allowing sadness, anger, and fear to actually move through the body The unexpected freedom that can come from realizing we don't have to fill every moment Four messages Wil has been carrying since the journey: It is safe to be here. It is safe to feel. It is safe to shine. It is safe to connect. This episode also offers a personal prelude to Wil's upcoming conversation with Shannon Algeo, author of The Power in Your Hands, exploring our individual and collective relationship with smartphones and technology. The next time you find yourself compulsively reaching for your phone or getting hooked by something in your feed, consider pausing before judging yourself. What part of you is getting hooked? What is it looking for? What might it be protecting you from? And what does it actually need? A note about this episode: Wil shares personal experiences with psychedelic medicines and altered states of consciousness. This conversation is offered for educational and personal-reflection purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice, nor is it intended to encourage anyone to engage in illegal activity. Learn more about Wil and his work here- https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Support the show

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  • S4 · E17
    July 22 · 55 min

    Letting Things Be Exactly as They Are with Rev. Yolanda

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil is joined by Rev. Yolanda Mapes, a trans femme genderqueer actor, singer-songwriter, performance artist, and interfaith minister. Yolanda is currently working on her tenth studio album and recently released the singles “Did Ya Know” and “Sparkle.” She also guest-starred in episode six of Ryan Murphy’s television series The Beauty. Yolanda shares her journey of gender expression, spirituality, and artistic self-discovery from growing up as a feminine child in Alabama to finding freedom and affirmation within the Radical Faerie community. She reflects on the limitations of binary gender and the importance of creating enough safety for each person’s unique expression to emerge. The conversation moves into Yolanda’s longtime practice of A Course in Miracles and its teachings about forgiveness, ego, nonattachment, and remembering who we truly are. Yolanda also speaks movingly about her relationship with her late husband and soulmate, Rev. Glen Ganaway. His unconditional love helped her feel at home in herself, and their shared spiritual practice became a foundation of their life together. After Glen’s sudden death, Yolanda experienced a profound shattering that eventually opened into what she describes as a second awakening. She shares how grief, spiritual community, and experiences of Glen’s continued presence have deepened her trust in the eternal nature of love—including an extraordinary experience while filming her role in The Beauty around the first anniversary of his passing. Together, they explore: Growing up gender-nonconforming in Alabama before language for trans and nonbinary identities was widely available Finding affirmation, freedom, and possibility through the Radical Faeries How unconditional love can create safety for our authentic identity to emerge Moving beyond binary gender and releasing judgments that block connection Building bridges of compassion through music, performance, drag, and ministry Using A Course in Miracles to recognize ego-based thoughts and return to love What it means to be sustained by the love of God Grief as a second spiritual awakening Trusting the ongoing connection between souls beyond physical death Letting things be exactly as they are instead of resisting life’s natural changes This soulful conversation invites us to welcome every moment—whether it contains grief, fear, anger, joy, or infinite love—as part of our healing and spiritual unfolding. Connect with Rev. Yolanda Website, music, and upcoming offerings Yolanda’s Louise Hay-inspired affirmations Learn more about A Course in Miracles Connect with Wil Website Instagram YouTube Support the show

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  • S4 · E16
    July 1 · 43 min

    Hedwig, Wholeness & Queer Magic with John Cameron Mitchell

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil Fisher (aka. Sylvia Wil Gather Rainbor) sits down with the legendary John Cameron Mitchell, the actor, writer, director, singer, and cultural icon best known for creating, directing, and starring in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. John also wrote and directed Shortbus, directed Rabbit Hole, co-wrote and directed How to Talk to Girls at Parties, and created the podcast series Anthem: Homunculus and Cancellation Island. In this rich, funny, provocative, and deeply human conversation, John shares reflections on the 25th anniversary of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and the ways this beloved story continues to offer queer people a sense of complexity, liberation, and hope. He and Wil explore Hedwig not simply as a story about trauma, patriarchy, identity, survival, and the longing to become whole. John also speaks about his relationship with Catholicism, ritual, queer spirituality, and the way queer people often learn early how to live inside nuance and contradiction. Together, explore humor as a queer survival tool, the limits of labels, the Radical Faerie community, psychedelics, dancing as medicine, AI, punk, and the sacred importance of staying human in a time of fear and disconnection. They also discuss: John’s first remembered role as the Virgin Mary at a boys’ boarding school in Scotland Catholicism, ritual, theater, and queer complexity The danger of reducing people to labels or stereotypes Radical Faeries, Harry Hay, queer magic, and non-corporate expressions of queerness The difference between substances that expand connection and substances that deepen isolation AI, creativity, heartbreak, and why human art still matters Punk as kindness, courage, DIY action, and real-life connection The importance of feeling fully instead of letting fear shut us down This conversation is a beautiful reminder that queer wisdom is often found in the in-between places, in humor, contradiction, grief, glitter, resistance, ritual, and the courage to keep becoming. John Cameron Mitchell on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/johncameronmitchell/?hl=en Learn more about Hedwig 25 here: https://www.hedwig25.com/ Learn more about Wil Fisher and his work here: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Please subscribe to Queerly Beloved and leave a review if this episode moved you! 🙏 Support the show

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  • S4 · E15
    June 17 · 13 min

    Queer Love is the Medicine the World Needs Now (Encore Episode)

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode is an encore/ re-release from the Queerly Beloved archives. Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or returning to it with fresh ears, we hope it meets you in exactly the way you need. 🤗 In this special Pride Month solo episode, Wil Fisher honors Pride by reading his Queer Manifesto essay titled, "Queer Love is the Medicine the World Needs Now," featured in the upcoming queer anthology Spirits Queer, Spirits True. Wil explores queer love as a sacred, rebellious, and deeply healing force. Through poetic reflection and bold truth-telling, he invites listeners into a space of radical inclusion, where love transcends binaries, borders, and outdated beliefs. This episode dives into: - What makes queer love so powerfully unique. - The societal barriers that get in the way of fully embodying it. - How rituals, community, and self-acceptance help us access queer love’s full magic. - Why this kind of love might just be the medicine our world is craving right now. Enjoy this episode as a celebration of Pride Month in the form of a living prayer. Mentioned in this episode: 📖 Spirits Queer, Spirits True – Coming soon! Stay tuned for release info. Connect with Wil: 🌐 www.wil-fullyliving.com 📸 Instagram: @wilfish99 Support the show

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  • S4 · E14
    May 28 · 47 min

    Queering Plant Medicine with Tina Kat Courtney

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil is joined by Tina “Kat” Courtney, a plant medicine pioneer, author, traditionally trained Ayahuasquera, psychedelic integration coach, and CEO and Co-Founder of Plant Medicine People. Kat has spent two decades in deep relationship with plant medicines, and in this conversation, she shares how ayahuasca first came into her life, how she came to understand this work as a calling, and why creating safer, more affirming medicine spaces for queer and trans people matters so much. Together, we explore plant spirits, queer healing, authenticity, ego death, actual death, integration, and the power of learning to trust the ride. Kat also offers beautiful reflections on nature as a teacher of fluidity and diversity, and why the medicine often invites us to become more fully, audaciously ourselves. In this episode, we explore: How ayahuasca first came into Kat’s life more than 20 years ago What it means to be called into relationship with plant spirits Why queer and trans people need safer, more affirming medicine spaces Nature as a reflection of queerness, fluidity, and authenticity The healing power of being loved exactly as we are Ego death, death, rebirth, and unity consciousness Why bigger doses are not always better Sovereignty, sensitivity, and self-trust in medicine spaces Integration as embodiment How to let ceremony, grief, breakups, and life experiences actually change the way we live Learn more about Kat and her work: Plant Medicine People: www.plantmedicinepeople.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plantmedicinepeople/ Connect with Wil: Learn about the retreat in Costa Rica- https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/awakened-hearts-nye Website: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilfish99/ Support the show

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  • S4 · E13
    May 13 · 48 min

    Helping Spirits, Ancestors, and Queer Medicine with Langston Kahn

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil is joined by Langston Kahn, a Black, queer teacher and shamanic practitioner whose work focuses on radical human transformation, ancestral healing, and restoring an authentic relationship with our emotions. Langston’s work lives at a powerful crossroads, weaving together somatic practice, contemporary shamanic traditions, initiations into traditions of the African diaspora, and deep relationship with helping spirits and ancestors. In our conversation, we explore Langston’s origin story and the early spiritual experiences that helped shape his path. We talk about helping spirits, ancestral healing, and what it means to remember that support from the unseen world may already be reaching toward us. We also dive into shamanism, what that word means, and how to approach this kind of spiritual work with integrity and discernment. Langston shares beautifully about the impact of colonialism on our relationship with ritual, ancestors, magic, community, and the sacred, and how healing may involve reclaiming ways of being that have been severed or forgotten. This is a rich, mystical, grounded, and deeply nourishing conversation about spirit, lineage, queerness, healing, and what it means to become resilient, creative, and courageous enough to bring healing into a fractured culture. Connect with Langston Kahn: https://langstonkahn.com/ Learn more about Wil here: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Support the show

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  • S4 · E12
    April 30 · 20 min

    ALIVENESS with Aya in Costa Rica (Solo Episode)

    Send us Fan Mail In this solo episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil shares reflections from a recent journey to Costa Rica, where he sat with Grandmother Ayahuasca and received powerful teachings about aliveness. After moving through a season of heaviness, collective grief, personal transition, and emotional numbness, Wil felt called back to the jungle through a series of signs and synchronicities. What unfolded was a deep remembering: that aliveness is not just joy or happiness, but the willingness to feel the full range of human emotion like grief, gratitude, desire, tenderness, fear, sensuality, wonder, and everything in between. Wil explores how the jungle itself became part of the medicine: the river, the organic meals, the nourishing conversations, the singing, the dancing, the screen-free spaciousness, and the daily ritual of swimming naked in the cold flowing water of the Tulärí River. This episode is an invitation to examine where we may be numbing out, where we may have turned down the volume on our own lives, and what it means to return to the body, the heart, and the sacred experience of being fully here. This episode is for anyone who has been feeling numb, disconnected, overwhelmed, or like they are watching their life instead of fully living it. May it serve as a reminder that your aliveness is already within you, waiting to be remembered. You are not here just to just get through your life. You are here to live it. Wil will be returning to the same retreat center in Costa Rica mentioned here to host an Awakened Hearts New Year’s Eve Retreat: A Jungle Journey into Connection, Authenticity and Aliveness. This 7-day retreat will be an intimate gathering for GBTQ men to reconnect with their hearts, release old stories and patterns, and step into more authentic and alive ways of being, while being surrounded by the beauty of the Costa Rican jungle. To learn more, visit: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/awakened-hearts-nye Support the show

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  • S4 · E11
    April 16 · 46 min

    Sitting With What’s Real with Oneika Mays

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil is joined by Oneika Mays, a mindfulness teacher, yoga teacher, licensed massage therapist, and author whose work is devoted to making contemplative practice more accessible to communities that have too often been left out of mainstream wellness spaces. Oneika has taught at Rikers Island, Kripalu, the Omega Institute, Lincoln Center, and beyond. She is also faculty at Embodied Philosophy/Yoga International, has been featured on SiriusXM and numerous podcasts, and is the author of the debut book Sit With Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation. Her work brings mindfulness down to earth, offering a practice that is honest, compassionate, embodied, and rooted in real life. In our conversation, we explore a wide range of rich and meaningful topics, ranging from working with inmates to the social dynamics in The Traitors. We also explore dream work as spiritual practice, loving-kindness, creating safety inside ourselves, the art of compassionate nonattachment and other juicy topics! This is a grounded, soulful, and very human conversation about what it means to stay present, care deeply, and keep coming back to ourselves. Connect with Oneika Mays: https://www.oneikamays.com/about-5 Get her book: Sit With Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation Learn more about Wil here- https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Check out the Awakened Hearts retreat here- https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/singles Support the show

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  • S4 · E10
    April 2 · 50 min

    Claiming Cosmic Sovereignty with Maria Martinez

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil sits down with Maria Martinez, a Cosmic Weaver, Quantum Alchemist, and multidimensional healer who has been aware of the unseen realms since childhood. Coming from a lineage of shamans, Maria describes a life shaped by early encounters with spirits, relationships with guides and higher selves, and a deep connection to divine intelligence across timelines and dimensions. Together, Wil and Maria explore what it means to feel at home in your own truth, how authenticity can become a spiritual frequency, and how Maria experiences different higher aspects of herself that support her healing work. They also talk about astral mission work, the role of sacred guidance, multidimensional consciousness, timeline healing, and the restoration of what Maria calls the divine blueprint. Maria also reflects on what it was like growing up with these gifts, seeing spirits with both her inner and outer vision, and eventually being supported by a shamanic mentor who helped her develop healthy spiritual boundaries and a deeper understanding of her path. This is a conversation about sovereignty, spiritual remembrance, and the possibility that we are far more vast than we’ve been taught to believe. Wil also recieves a clearing from Maria that is meant for the listeners as well. It's a clearing of blockages to abundance and is a fascinating example of Maria's work (plus it can possibly produce positive results like it did for Wil!). Learn more about Maria and book a free visionary session here- https://www.360prosperity.com/ Schedule a free discovery session with Maria: HERE Learn more about Wil here- https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Check out the Awakened Hearts retreat here- https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/singles Support the show

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  • S4 · E9
    March 18 · 56 min

    Surrendering into Freedom with Simon Magnus

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Wil Fisher sits down with Simon Magnus, a facilitator, teacher, and creator who has spent the last 25 years blending movement, intimacy work, conscious kink, ecstatic dance, somatic practice, and theatre into powerful, playful, and transformational experiences. Simon creates bold yet safe spaces where connection thrives—inviting people to drop performance, meet honestly, and explore embodied love, surrender, and truth. Together, they dive into a rich conversation on sacredness, presence, play, sexuality, surrender, and self-discovery. They explore how conscious kink can become a healing and transformative practice, how improvisation and intimacy share the same essential ingredients, and why reverence, curiosity, and embodied presence can open the door to more freedom, peace, and aliveness. Together, they explore: Sacredness, reverence, and the power of presence Animism and relating to the world as alive Enoughness and the paradox of self-development The connection between improv, creativity, and erotic expression Surrender as a practice of trust, attunement, and embodiment How conscious kink can support healing and transformation Exploring hidden parts of self through ritual, archetype, and play Pleasure, pain, and the path toward deeper peace Why adult play matters—and what it can teach us about intimacy and freedom Links + Resources Learn more about Simon: www.playfull-living.com The Rite of Surrender retreat: www.terraviva.love/rite-of-surrender Register for the Q&A call: Zoom registration link Learn more about Wil: www.wil-fullyliving.com Awakened Hearts for Single Gay Men: www.wil-fullyliving.com/singles Support the show

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  • S4 · E8
    March 4 · 55 min

    Catching Healing Waves with Annie Schuessler-Zam

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Wil Fisher sits down with Annie Schuessler-Zam, a trauma healer who uses Brainspotting and Parts Work to help people release stuck emotional pain. Annie was a licensed psychotherapist for 20 years and now works outside of the medical model. She also runs workshops for folks who are estranged from a parent and want to create their most beautiful and meaningful lives, and she’s the host of Rebel Therapist, a podcast devoted to healers doing their own personal work. Together, they explore: Parts Work / IFS as an invitation to create enough inner safety for our younger “exiled” parts to come forward with their messages. Attachment wounds, tenderness, and what it’s like when insecurity shows up in close relationships—and why that can actually be a sign of healing. The difference between soothing a part versus accidentally silencing it with quick “you’re fine” band-aids. Disclosure + discernment: how to know what to share, why you’re sharing it, and how to stay resourced when feedback isn’t gentle. The myth that healers should have it all together—and why it’s actually a red flag when a healer isn’t doing their own work. “Healing waves”: why the work doesn’t really end, but our capacity to ride it can deepen over time. Estrangement in queer communities: finding your place on the estrangement continuum with integrity and self-trust. A practical framework for boundaries: choosing the level of contact that allows you to have your best relationship with yourself and the people you love. Chosen family, grief, and the complex emotions that can arise when an estranged parent dies. Compassion and boundaries: how forgiveness and love don’t require continued access or self-sacrifice. Connect with Annie: Website: https://anniezam.com/ Wil’s interview on Annie's podcast Rebel Therapist: https://anniezam.com/podcast/256 Connect with Wil: Website: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com Awakened Hearts for Single Gay Men retreat: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/singles Instagram: @wilfish99 Support the show

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  • S4 · E7
    February 19 · 26 min

    Fire Horse Energy: Stop Performing Your Life 🔥🐎

    Send us Fan Mail In this solo episode, Wil Fisher explores the energetic invitation of the Year of the Fire Horse and what it’s calling forward—especially for the Achiever-Performer archetype in gay culture: the successful, polished man who looks like he’s thriving… but feels a quiet ache underneath. This is a conversation about moving from performance to presence, from being admired to being known, and from surface-level connection into real intimacy, community, and spiritual aliveness. Wil shares a personal Fire Island story about “curating belonging,” unpacks how people-pleasing and performative confidence keep us from being truly seen, and offers a simple somatic check-in to help you distinguish anxiety from intuition—including the moment many of us recognize: the quiet “Uber home” realization that enough is enough. What You’ll Hear In This Episode What “Fire Horse energy” symbolizes: momentum, intensity, and the end of stagnation Why performative success can still leave you feeling lonely and unseen The Achiever-Performer pattern in dating, friendship, masculinity, and spirituality The difference between being desired vs. being nourished “Stop auditioning. Start choosing.” (and what that means for dating) A grounded take on spirituality for queer men: spiritual without religious A quick somatic practice to listen to your body’s truth 3 practical actions to choose depth this week Key Takeaways / Quotes “This is not the year to be impressive. This is the year to be true.” “Not playing it safe isn’t being reckless—it’s being honest.” “Admiration without being known is a beautiful-looking loneliness.” “Anxiety is fear about the future. Intuition is a quiet voice of knowing.” “If your inner voice is saying ‘enough is enough,’ trust it.” Somatic Check-In (Try This During the Episode) Take one deeper breath than usual. Ask: What do I know that I’ve been avoiding? Ask: Where do I feel it in my body? Ask: If I trusted this knowing, what would I do differently this week? Your “Permission Slip” Challenge (3 Actions This Week) Tell one friend the truth about what you’re craving. Ask a deeper question on a date (and answer it honestly too). Say yes to support—choose a space that’s built for depth and real connection. Retreats Mentioned Awakened Hearts for Singles (May 7–10, Joshua Tree) - https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/singles Awakened Hearts for Community (April 16–19) - https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/events Connect with Wil here- https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Support the show

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  • S4 · E6
    February 5 · 51 min

    Alchemizing "Source Material" with Ash Ryzen Witham

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Wil Fisher sits down with Ash Ryzen Witham, a queer, nonbinary trauma-informed Somatic Coach and Connection & Embodiment Facilitator. Ash supports personal and collective transformation by guiding people into deeper connection with themselves, each other, and life itself through somatic wisdom, embodied and authentic relating practices, and movement + expression. Their work is rooted in the belief that the ache, tension, and longing we carry are not “problems to fix,” but raw material for personal evolution, where the art of alchemy truly lives. Together, they explore: Somatic coaching as a path to self-trust and the body as our most honest guide. Nervous system regulation in intense times and why safety isn’t a concept, it’s a felt experience. “First responders”: the early signals in the body that let us intervene before activation takes the wheel. How to work with emotions in a way that’s compassionate, practical, and grounded in real life (not bypass-y). Authentic Relating as a practice of truth + care: saying what’s real while staying connected to impact. Belonging vs. fitting in and how self-belonging becomes the foundation for healthy community. Holding multiple truths in queer spaces with more curiosity, less fragility, and more capacity for nuance. Alchemy as transmutation: turning pain, tension, and longing into power, meaning, and movement. Ash’s queer journey, representation, and the ways “coming out” can be a lifelong unfolding. Ecstatic dance as an embodied portal back into aliveness, joy, and community. Connect with Ash: Website: www.ashwitham.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alchemy.with.ash/ Connect with Wil: Website: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Instagram: @wilfish99 Support the show

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  • S4 · E5
    January 22 · 53 min

    Queering Theology with Brian G. Murphy

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Wil Fisher sits down with Brian G. Murphy, an activist, educator, and certified relationship coach. Brian is the co-founder of QueerTheology.com (a resource hub, podcast, and online community exploring how queerness and spirituality enrich one another) and the founder of Relationshift, a coaching practice supporting LGBTQ+ and polyamorous folks in building thriving relationships on their own terms. Brian is also the co-author of Queers The Word, and his first solo book, Love Beyond Monogamy. Together, they explore: Moving beyond the “clobber passages” and why queerness doesn’t belong in a defensive posture. Polyamory + non-monogamy as a spiritual path and what monogamous folks can learn from it. Sex, smut, and the sacred: how hookup culture can be approached with intention instead of shame Queer ritual in plain sight (Fire Island as pilgrimage, weekly rhythms, chosen family as spiritual practice). Taboo topics with tenderness: orgies, douching-as-ritual, and what “purity/contamination” stories do to the soul. Kink, light, and healing and how “taboo” can become a site of liberation. What it can look like to return to (or leave) Christianity with agency after religious trauma. Why progressive spiritual spaces need to define their terms (God, miracle, resurrection) so people feel safe to receive. This is a conversation about queerness as holy, pleasure as portal, and choosing a shame-free spirituality that actually feels like good news. Connect with Brian: Queer Theology: https://www.queertheology.com/ Queerness Every Day Challenge: https://www.queertheology.com/challenge/ Love Beyond Monogamy Book: https://www.queertheology.com/books/ Brian’s website: https://www.briangerald.com/ Relationship coaching (Relationshift): https://www.briangerald.com/relationship-coaching/ Connect with Wil: Website: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Instagram: @wilfish99 Watch the interviews on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@willfullyliving4357 Support the show

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  • S4 · E4
    January 7 · 1 hr 6 min

    Bridging Science & Spirit with Mira Funk

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Wil sits down with Mira Funk, LCSW (she/her), a Harvard-educated queer, nonbinary psychotherapist and psychedelic guide specializing in 5-MeO-DMT, N,N-DMT, and salvia divinorum. Mira brings a rare “neuroscience geek meets sacred mystery” approach to psychedelic healing and integration—bridging somatic work, nondual spirituality, and practical trauma-informed care. Together, Wil and Mira explore what 5-MeO-DMT is (and what it isn’t), why dosing and context matter so much, and how this medicine can support deep healing—especially around fear, shame, the nervous system, and identity. They also discuss gender liberation, the body’s role in trauma storage and release, and why Mira is passionate about ethical and precise approaches to working with 5-MeO-DMT. In This Episode, We Explore The “geek vs. woo” false split—and why both languages can point to the same mystery 5-MeO-DMT vs. N,N-DMT vs. “DMT” as a broader tryptamine family What 5-MeO-DMT can feel like: expansion, presence, release, and the “deep tissue massage” metaphor Trauma-informed step-wise sessions: “dip a toe,” integrate, then gradually deepen The “full release” / unity-consciousness territory—and why it’s not the only point of healing Fear of death, “annihilation anxiety,” and the ripple effects of practicing surrender Wil shares a powerful one-on-one, ritualized death/rebirth experience in an MDMA-assisted therapy session Psychedelics and gender exploration: shame, freedom, identity, and the paradox of nonduality + authenticity Mira’s experience of gender liberation and family repair—including staying in relationship without abandoning self Rectal administration of 5-MeO-DMT: what it is, how it’s handled ethically/privately, and why it can be uniquely pelvic/root-focused for some people A grounded take on “code of reality” laser experiments: perception, priming, meaning-making, and humility Why Mira believes 5-MeO-DMT can be a powerful option for both first-timers and experienced psychonauts—when held safely Connect with Mira Funk Website: https://www.unjourneying.com/ Youtube Channel : https://www.youtube.com/@unjourneying Connect with Wil Website & coaching: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Upcoming Awakened Hearts Group Retreat: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/events Support the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please follow/subscribe to Queerly Beloved and leave a review—it helps more listeners find the show. 🌈 Share this episode with a friend Post it to your stories (Tag @wilfish99 and he'll repost). Leave a 5-star rating + a few words of love ❤️ Support the show

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  • S4 · E3
    Dec 18, 2025 · 23 min

    Discovering Discernment

    Send us Fan Mail In this first solo episode of the season, Wil explores discernment- the skill of knowing what’s inner truth and what’s conditioned noise, so you can choose from your center. Using the metaphor of an “inner committee” (intuition, wisdom, higher guidance… plus anxiety, ego, craving, people-pleasing, and trauma responses), Wil breaks down how different inner voices sound, feel, and move in the body. Wil also shares a personal story about a big decision made shortly after an ayahuasca ceremony — a moment when his discernment was vulnerable, his body signaled “no,” and that signal was reframed in a way that led to financial stress and credit card debt. The lesson: not every edge is expansion, and sometimes a “no” is your nervous system’s wisdom doing its job. You’ll leave with practical questions, grounding tools, and a simple body-based practice you can use today — especially when you’re spinning, ruminating, or feeling urgency around a choice. In this episode, we cover: A clear definition of discernment: inner truth vs conditioned noise A real-life example of discernment getting hijacked (and the cost of ignoring body wisdom) The difference between intuition and anxiety (calm clarity vs urgency and catastrophe) How ego can sound “high standards” but actually be fear of not-enoughness People-pleasing signals (polite, self-erasing, peace-keeping at the cost of truth) Trauma responses (fight/flight/freeze/fawn) and how protectors can be wise but outdated Craving (sneaky, graspy, “just one more thing and then I’ll be okay” energy) A queer-specific pattern: the proving/belonging hijack (desperation dressed as guidance) Discernment cues to use: Intuition feels calm, simple, grounded, and steady over time Anxiety feels urgent, spiraling, and catastrophic Ego focuses on image, status, comparison, and proving worth People-pleasing prioritizes others’ comfort over your truth Trauma response feels intense, controlling, or numbing/disassociative Craving bargains and grasps for reassurance, signs, purchases, or certainty Questions to support discernment: Does this feel urgent? (Urgency often points to anxiety/craving/trauma response.) Is this coming from love or fear? (And: is it current-day truth or old protection?) Does this move me toward wholeness… or performance? What happens if I wait 24 hours? (Intuition stays steady; anxiety escalates; craving bargains; ego postures; people-pleasing backpedals.) Tiny practice to try today: Hand on chest, hand on belly. Take a slow breath (longer exhale than inhale). Ask: “Which voice is speaking right now?” Get curious — and invite the unhelpful committee members to step out of the boardroom. Closing intention: Wil invites you into 2026 with more self-trust, more alignment, and more freedom — choosing what’s loving, true, and grounded rather than what’s loud, urgent, or performative. If you want support cultivating discernment and self-trust in your next chapter, connect with Wil via the links below to explore coaching/offerings. Learn more about Wil here: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Book a Session with Wil: https://calendly.com/wilfish99/furture-visioning-session?month=2025-12 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilfish99/ Support the show

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  • S4 · E2
    Dec 3, 2025 · 1 hr

    Aligning Your Soul Calling and Your Business with Beth Weinstein

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Queerly Beloved, Wil is joined by Beth Weinstein, a Spiritual Business Coach & Soul Liberation Guide, three-time entrepreneur, certified Master Transformational NLP practitioner, and a leading voice in soul-led business and psychedelic-assisted transformation. Beth has guided hundreds of visionary leaders, changemakers, and psychedelic pioneers to step into their purpose, grow aligned businesses, and serve from a place of deep spiritual integrity. Together, Wil and Beth trace her journey from overworked fashion-industry “modern day slavery” to a life led by ceremony, intuition, and service. They explore soul callings, chanting and chakra work, equinox rituals, and what it really takes — practically and spiritually — to move from a safe-but-soul-crushing career into a business that feels like your true path. In this episode, we explore: Burning Man, ceremony, and drag as sacred liminal spaces for radical self-expression and liberation Equinox ceremonies, the Wheel of the Year, and using seasonal shifts as portals for intention, release, and renewal Time scarcity vs. spaciousness: shifting from “I don’t have time” to “What am I truly prioritizing?” A breakdown in the back of a tuk-tuk, a mysterious illness, and the soul-level question: “Do you want to live or do you want to die?” Practical ways to move from a misaligned job into your calling: planting seeds, staying grounded, getting support, and letting the universe “meet you halfway” What it really means to build a soul-led business — listening to intuition, following synchronicities, and balancing action with surrender Words as spells: speaking your desires out loud, declaring your path, and letting opportunities and allies show up Imagining your purpose if money didn’t exist or the current system collapsed — and orienting your work around service, community, and what your soul is here to give Connect with Beth Website: https://bethaweinstein.com/ Medicine For These Times podcast: https://bethaweinstein.com/podcast/ Psychedelics, Sacred Medicines, Soul’s Purpose & Business summits: https://bethaweinstein.com/psychedelicsummit/ Connect with Wil Website & coaching: https://www.wil-fullyliving.com/ Retreats, 1:1 coaching, and more ways to go deeper into this work with me Support the show

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