The Skeptical Shaman

Rachel White

Rachel White is modern-day shaman and the owner of TOTEM Readings, a decades-old spiritual practice. In the Skeptical Shaman, we engage fascinating folks-- from psychics to healers to skeptics and cynics-- in a dialogue designed to help the spiritually homeless navigate the landscape of woo. Are you curious about spiritually but worry about falling into a cult? Do you want to learn more without falling into a con? The Skeptical Shaman is the place for you.

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S12 · E3
Yesterday · 38 min
Fighting Back Against the Satanic Hive, with Billy Purgatory (Part 1)
The 12th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast is here, and this second, two-part episode highlights the undeniable creative and spiritual power of a well-defined Alter Ego. Jesse James, aka Billy Purgatory, literally wrote a series of stories about his demon-fighting alter ego, breathing some very real life into a very real aspect of himself. But Billy Purgatory isn't just a literary anti-hero: he's also Jesse's Villain Era shadow aspect, offending sensibilities left, right and center as he embraces his shamanic self and fights the armies of hell. In this two-part conversation, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Jesse James, aka Billy Purgatory, all about how he's coming to grips with a world drenched in both some very real (and often spooky) Woo and some real-deal anti-humanism in the form of the technocratic elite seeking to replace humans, human creativity and even our connection to spirituality with dumb, derivative machines. Jesse is dedicated to remembering the before times, building a veritable Library of Alexandria of recent, peak culture to remind us all of what we once had: freedom, fun and imagination. He's also seeking ways to resurrect his alter ego, perhaps on the pages of new stories or in his own life, as he explores the world of Woo with an eye to the pits of Hell! Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Jesse's LINKS: Substack: https://substack.com/@jessejamesfreeman YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billypurgatory 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.
S12 · E2
August 22 · 44 min
The Business of Woo Doesn't Need to be a Drag, with Bishamon Boheme (part 2)
The 12th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast is here, and the second half of our first episode sets the tone for exploring our collective Villain Era. This season is all about embracing the reality that, despite your very best efforts and pure intentions, we will all inevitably be the villain in someone else's story as we pursue our goals, stretch ourselves spiritually and professionally, and enforce our own boundaries as we do so. In this two-part conversation, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Patrick Anderson, aka Stella Boheme while performing in drag and, as we learn in this incredible discussion, Bishamon Boheme when triggered into goblin mode. Patrick is the Woo-based business owner behind Queen of Glam Tarot, LLC, the author of Read Like a Queen: Real-Life Inisghts to SLAY Your Tarot Practice, and the host of the *new*, upcoming podcast: The Business of Tarot. Stella is Patrick's drag persona, often appearing at events to read tarot cards and entertain with incredible talents (like opera-quality vocal performances). Bishamon, Patrick's so-called Villain Era alter ego, is the shadow aspect that emerges when they are feeling hurt or unheard or feel compelled to speak up for others. The bottom line? The Business of Woo can be harsh, and not everyone practices the love and light they preach. In this dynamic, emergent industry, people can be rude, badly behaved, and even exploitative, and it's in these contexts that Bishamon emerges to say it like it is: straight up, with no chaser. In this context, Patrick (like all of us) needs his Villain Era alter ego to ensure that they don't get subsumed by the opinions, fears and yes, even the shadow aspects of others! Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Patrick's LINKS: Queen of Glam: www.queenofglamtarot.com BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Read-Like-Queen-Real-Life-Insights 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.
S12 · E1
August 15 · 44 min
The Business of Woo Doesn't Need to be a Drag, with Bishamon Boheme (part 1)
The 12th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast is here, and this first episode sets the tone for exploring our collective Villain Era. This season is all about embracing the reality that, despite your very best efforts and pure intentions, we will all inevitably be the villain in someone else's story as we pursue our goals, stretch ourselves spiritually and professionally, and enforce our own boundaries as we do so. In this two-part conversation, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Patrick Anderson, aka Stella Boheme while performing in drag and, as we learn in this incredible discussion, Bishamon Boheme when triggered into goblin mode. Patrick is the Woo-based business owner behind Queen of Glam Tarot, LLC, the author of Read Like a Queen: Real-Life Inisghts to SLAY Your Tarot Practice, and the host of the *new*, upcoming podcast: The Business of Tarot. Stella is Patrick's drag persona, often appearing at events to read tarot cards and entertain with incredible talents (like opera-quality vocal performances). Bishamon, Patrick's so-called Villain Era alter ego, is the shadow aspect that emerges when they are feeling hurt or unheard or feel compelled to speak up for others. The bottom line? The Business of Woo can be harsh, and not everyone practices the love and light they preach. In this dynamic, emergent industry, people can be rude, badly behaved, and even exploitative, and it's in these contexts that Bishamon emerges to say it like it is: straight up, with no chaser. In this context, Patrick (like all of us) needs his Villain Era alter ego to ensure that they don't get subsumed by the opinions, fears and yes, even the shadow aspects of others! Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Patrick's LINKS: Queen of Glam: www.queenofglamtarot.com BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Read-Like-Queen-Real-Life-Insights 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.
July 4 · 53 min
How to be Witch and Famous, with Cardsy B
In this tenth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of the show and fellow podcaster Cardsy B, aka Rebecca Szymczak (of Hex and the City Podcast). Not only is Rebecca a resident wellness witch in residence at a posh Manhattan hotel, but she's also a tarot deck creator, the author of the Saturn Diaries, and the creator of the INCREDIBLE new fragrance "Witch and Famous", which is made with organic, ethically-harvested herbs and flowers by a fellow female-owned business owner right here in the U.S.! This episode is equal parts bonus gift, season finale and interim season intro, so give it a listen on your July 4th weekend (and beyond) and take in the energy! Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Cardy's LINKS: Linktree: https://bio.cardsyb.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardsyb/ 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.
S11 · E9
June 27 · 1 hr 5 min
The Magic of Becoming Your Psychic Self, with Teresa Johnson
In this ninth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with client, friend, and newly-anointed psychic channel Teresa Johnson all about the strange, strange journey from being a "normal person" to becoming your true psychic self. Teresa opens up the kimono on the good, the bad, and the cringe of what it's really like to transition from being a nurse practitioner, psychic, business owner and even corporate subject matter expert to "owning" her psychic gifts out loud and proud with the people in her life. Teresa is a perfect example of a Woo-based practitioner in the midst of a major transformation, and her story edifies the messy middle for those seekers (and psychics) looking for a way shower on exactly when, how and why to embrace the Woo as their life path! Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo 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.
S11 · E8
June 20 · 1 hr 20 min
The Beginner's Guide to Planetary Magic, with Sam "The SkyGuy"
In this eighth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of the show and astrologer extraordinaire Sam "The SkyGuy" all about planetary magic: how to do it, when to do it, and how to customize it to your unique natal chart- and annual astrological transits! Sam provides listeners a crash course in the background and fundamentals of chaos magic, ritual magic, and the specifics of how (and where) planetary magic fits into the big magic picture. Sam also digs into what big planets are making big moves this year, and how to harness their energies to amplify what's working-- and mitigate what's more challenging. Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Our guests' links: Sam's Substack: https://skyguyreadings.substack.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.
S11 · E7
June 13 · 1 hr 8 min
Navigating Spiritual Nuance in an Ideological Jungle, with Natalie Fehlner
In this seventh episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of the show and Skeptical Shaman podcast editor Natalie Fehlner (of Sidhe) all about Natalie's strange, strange journey into weird world of online dialogue-- and what it revealed about the spiritual reality underpinning surface-level ideology. Natalie experienced a pronounced spiritual trauma when accidentally encountering the hyper-violent images of Charlie Kirk's death online. While not a right wing Christian nationalist herself (I mean, Natalie is a fairy-channeling astrologer, poet and theater teacher, among other things!), she was gobsmacked by the reaction of "her team": the supposedly compassionate, open-minded, and ideologically consistent, spiritually-aware group to which she and many other Woo-based practitioners generally belong. Shocked by the cognitive dissonance of it all, Natalie did the unthinkable: she entered into the online colosseum to battle it out with anonymous faces (and voices) on the inter web. What she learned from this experience has not only served as a major spiritual and societal awakening for her, but also served as her inspiration to get educated and certified in cult awareness, ultimately setting out into the world to help deprogram her fellow humans that are ready to leave their distorted, ideological prison and enter the real world. Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Our guests' links: Natalie's Substack: https://nataliesidhe.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search Natalie's IG: https://www.instagram.com/nataliesidhe/ Natalie's Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NatalieSidhe 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.
S11 · E6
June 6 · 1 hr 4 min
Synchronicity and Serendipity, with Review Raffle Winner Alyson Ogimachi
In this sixth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Review Raffle winner and *as luck would have it* experienced animal healer and communicator Alyson Ogimachi (of Phoenix Healing) all about her journey from being an animal groomer and "normal person" to talented animal psychic and healer. Alyson has spent years in real deal, bonafide animal communication and healing training programs, and just recently launched her own Woo-based business: Phoenix Healing! Alyson shares her rigorous training background, and chats about the very, very crucial need for ethics, boundaries, and standard operating procedures when working in the Woo- especially for fuzzy and feathered clients that can't speak up for themselves! Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Our guests' links: Alyson's website: https://phoenix-healing.com/ Alyson's IG: @phoenixhealingcommunication 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.
S11 · E5
May 30 · 1 hr 29 min
Green Acres Is The Place To Be, with Caitlin Gonzales
In this fifth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Caitlin Gonzales, newly spiritually awakened friend of the fae and rural Louisiana homesteader who knows all about the shift from urban conformity to the feral borderlands-- both of the Woo and of Mother Nature! Like many of us in the time since Covid disrupted, well, everything, Caitlin has dramatically changed literally every aspect of her life, leaving a "normal" job to learn to homestead and embracing all things spiritual in the process, challenging her own, previous norms and assumptions while exploring agorism, witchcraft, the fairy realms, and more. Caitlin allowed for her spiritual awakening to expand out in orders of magnitude, and her story gives hope to all of us wishing, seeking and hoping for a better day-- and a better, more Woo world! Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Our guests' links: Caitlin's Substack: https://substack.com/@caitlingonzales Caitlin's IG: https://www.instagram.com/itscaitlingonzales/ 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.
S11 · E4
May 23 · 1 hr 9 min
The Rocky Road to Spiritual Awakening, with Emily P.
In this fourth episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with long-time client (and fellow Chicagoan) Emily P. (of House of Lir), a lifelong psychic finally making the leap into the wild unknown of client-facing readings with her new, Woo-based business House of Lir. Emily has always been psychic, but it took a real deal (and very destabilizing) spiritual awakening to put everything into focus, making her natural physical mediumship, divination, and channeling capabilities an undeniable (and very weird) reality. This episode has it all: nonconsensual demon sex attacks, speaking on behalf of ghosts in crystal shops, and what it's really like to step into the weird world of doing psychic readings for others! Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Our guests' links: Website: HouseOfLir.net Email: emily@houseoflir.net Tik Tok: @daughteroflir 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.
S11 · E3
May 16 · 1 hr 22 min
Is AI the Devil?, with Jesse James and Jennifer Hotes
In this third episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Jesse James Freeman and Jennifer Hotes of the Is AI The Devil? and the Curious Cat Podcasts all about the spiritual implications of our brave new techno-feudalist world. Was Rudolf Steiner right about Ahriman? Are there really ghosts (and demons) in the machine? How can we reclaim our sovereignty, human dignity, AND spiritual independence in a time such as this? Jesse and Jen offer their insights, gleaned from both the Woo and secular research, all while giving us some much needed (and realistic) hope for the future! Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Our guests' links: Jesse's Substack: https://jessejamesfreeman.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips Jennifer's Substack: https://jenniferhotes.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips The Curious Cat Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/curious-cat/id1617885857 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.
S11 · E2
May 9 · 1 hr 8 min
Time to Tell Your Story, with Renee Puvvada
In this second episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Renee Puvvada (of Smoking Hot Books) about the writerly window of opportunity being presented by the unique and dynamic Fire Horse Year: a year that welcomes, supports and celebrates unique voices, authentic storytelling and independent publishing. Renee Puvvada failed at four books, lost $20k, and then sold 10,283 copies in a single year with 183 Instagram followers. Now, as founder of Smokin' Hot Books, she helps soul-led entrepreneurs turn their self-published books into authority-building, business-growing assets, all while you keep full rights and royalties. Jack Canfield noticed. Your future clients will too. Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Renee's Links: Book a call with Renee here: https://smokin-hotbooks.com/get-in-touch Connect on Substack: https://smokinhotbooks.substack.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reneepuvvada/?hl=en On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-puvvada/ 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.
S11 · E1
May 2 · 1 hr 8 min
It's all in the Stars, with Gabrielle Celeste
In this inaugural episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Gabrielle Celeste (of Agua Astrology), combining their superpowers to form some kind of Chinese and Western Astrology Megazord, offering listeners insights into what to expect in the dynamic Fire Horse Year (2026)...and beyond! Rachel and Gabrielle discuss the incredible spiritual awakening that cascaded over the land as a result of the global pandemic, digging into how this trend is evolving in real time in a post-pandemic landscape-- and how listeners can best navigate these novel energies and the Business of Woo (with their own discernment). Gabrielle Celeste is an Intuitive Astrologist who has conducted over 750 channeled astrology readings. She is the co-host of internationally recognized podcast, The Spiritual Sisters Podcast, and owner of Agua Astrology. Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Gabrielle's Links: Website: www.aguaastrology.com Courses: https://aguaastrology.teachable.com/p/home-aguaastrology-teachable-com Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/aguaastrology/ 2026 Year Ahead Workshop: https://aguaastrology.myflodesk.com/wth7dkypi6 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aguaastrology/ 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.
S10 · E8
March 28 · 1 hr 4 min
Let Them Eat Snake, with Craig Moyer
In this eighth episode in our dude-only season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Craig Moyer, freelance copywriter, advertising expert, novelist, and all around "creative" about our post-AI (and post-human) billionaire-led world-- and how best to navigate it! Craig's recommendation? Tackle the bad guys (and evil forces) with a sharp sense of humor, like he did in his mock ad campaign for the recent World Economic Forum conference in Davos, titled: "Let them eat snake!", a hilarious riff on Marie Antoinette's famous line: "Let them eat cake!". Craig, a consummate writer of text both short and long, takes listeners through how he's using his creative gifts to speak truth to real power-- and how to resist the dread of our modern world by engaging in the ultimate act of rebellion: creating art. Rachel and Craig also discuss Rachel's favorite city, New Orleans, which also happens to be Craig's home-- and even dig into where to eat, drink, and how best to enjoy this particular spiritual center. Rachel's LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Craig's Links: Website: https://www.craigpmoyer.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-moyer-0103479/ 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.
S10 · E7
March 21 · 1 hr 10 min
Being the Black Dog, with Bobby Fierro
In this seventh episode in our dude-only season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Bobby Fierro of Wild Raven Tarot: a "TarotTuber" of the highest order who livestreams and posts truly incredible, engaging and very, very real tarot content for the masses to enjoy! Not only does Bobby bring the fun and joy of tarot to the masses with his 420 Tarot, Behind the Cards, and Fool's Journey YouTube series, but he also lives his personal spiritual practice in a real deal coven-- serving the coven as their resident "Black Dog": the resident "bouncer" and protector of the witches' coven, working to ensure peace and tranquility in the community. Bobby is also a devotee of Hecate and Hermes, and shares insights into their impact as Spirit Guides in his life as a person AND a practitioner-- including a funny story about what happens when you try to multitask during your daily devotions on their altars;) Bobby also shares some of the unique challenges and points of frustration with being in the Business of Woo, serving as powerful instruction for anyone considering taking the leap to become a full-time, client-facing tarot practitioner. Spoiler alert: people don't want to pay you-- and boundaries become a full-time work stream! LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Bobby's Links: YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@WildRavenTarot 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.
S10 · E6
March 14 · 56 min
The Archeology of Consciousness, with Ryan Hurd
In this sixth episode in our dude-only season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Ryan Hurd: a dream educator, creator of the Dream Studies website (and work), and author of the incredible Archeology of Consciousness Substack! Hilarious plot twist: Rachel and Ryan actually recorded a previous episode that seems to have entered a permanent, liminal state, with multiple "tracks" still "uploading"-- for the last two months-- to the online recording studio! And, while that may just sound like a standard tech glitch, odds are: it's something more! Why? Well, because like the second conversation that all of you get to listen to and enjoy, the topic of discussion is all things liminal, transient, dreamlike, and ephemeral! The best part? Ryan doesn't even remember the first conversation, proof positive that our memory of our reality is, well, a bit fuzzy-- even to the most adept dream weaver! This discussion dives into Ryan's research into sleep, lucid dreaming, dream talismans, and how we can use the other half of our life-- spent with eyes closed, laying in bed, traveling to other realms-- to enhance and improve our waking reality. LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Ryan's Links: Website: https://dreamstudies.org/ Substack: https://ryanhurd.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips 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.
S10 · E5
March 7 · 1 hr 39 min
Conjuring a Career in Tarot, with James Jude
In this fifth episode of The Skeptical Shaman's tenth, all-dude season, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with James Jude of James Jude Tarot and the LA Festival of Tarot : a client-facing tarot reader, teacher of all things tarot, and PR expert who worked on the Conjuring and Annabelle movie franchises (of all things)! Like Rachel, James started out as a non-believer in all things Woo, but slowly came around to the reality of the unseen world of spirit while working in PR for a series of major horror movies inspired by the real life events surrounding Ed and Lorraine Warren: the famous paranormal researchers at the center of the Annabelle, Amityville and the Enfield Poltergeist cases. James shares his on-set experiences, as well as conversations with skeptical observers, and how this evolved his perspective on all things Woo-- and supernatural. But it's not all demons, dolls or poltergeists! Rather, James found that these experiences drew him to the very supportive and not-at-all-scary world of tarot-- and he's since become a bonafide subject matter expert in all of the historical and technical aspects of this divinatory tool. James is EVERYTHING that the world of tarot needs: a perpetual student, inspired by limitless curiosity, who takes his craft-- and your tarot reading-- very, very seriously. LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo James' Links: Website: https://www.jamesjudetarot.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/jamesjudetarot/ 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.
S10 · E4
February 28 · 1 hr 5 min
The Gift of the Fisher King, with Brian Maierhofer
In this fourth episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Brian Maierhofer: a working therapist that explores myth, madness, meaning, and how our greatest wounds can become our greatest gifts with his incredible Liminal Means Substack. Rachel and Brian chat all about the myth of the Fisher King and his wound-- and how we, as a people, need to heal our collective wounds, too. But how can we heal? How can society start to right itself? Stop screaming at each other? Stop policing each others' words and thoughts or personal political or religious beliefs? Well, as Brian shares, we can start by understanding the mechanism at the root of this wound: a very particular shift in brain activity that comes along with long-term adrenal fatigue and the anxiety-inducing psychological thought reform made possible by social media and corporate news. But Brian doesn't just identify the issue-- he also walks us all through how we can do a simple, sustainable AND TOTALLY FREE exercise to put our nervous systems-- and our brain-- back into the driver's seat. We can all actually transmute our wounds into our medicine-- and our superpowers. But, first, we have to take a look at them-- and actually f*cking do something to heal them ourselves. LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Brian's Links: Substack: http://brianmaierhofer.substack.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/brian.maierhofer 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.
S10 · E3
February 21 · 1 hr 21 min
Floating in the Wu Wei, with Alexis Vale
In this third episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with "Alexis Vale", aka Alan Furth-- the mind behind the incredible Hidden Frameworks Substack, sharing his own meandering explorations in the realm of synchronicity, serendipity, and the ancient concept of Wu Wei: the "invisible river" flow state that we can fall into such that it carries us along-- without us needing to force it! In this episode, Rachel and Alexis discuss the long and strange journey that comes along with following the breadcrumbs out of a life in corporate captivity-- and just how magical and disorienting it can be to listen to your intuition instead of just your logical mind. Am I going through a spiritual awakening and following my soul's purpose, or am I going through a nervous breakdown and need to check myself in somewhere? The difference between these two possibilities when you're "in the messy middle" is a lot more subtle, nuanced and fungible than you would think, so it takes a lot of courage and self-belief to keep on meandering out of the prescribed loop society set out for you and, instead, make your way to the feral borderlands of the Woo. Alexis' story is so engaging because it's still unfolding-- and publicly, on his incredible Substack and via his alter ego, named Alexis! LINKS: TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Alexis' Links: https://substack.com/@alexisvale https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanfurth/ 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.
S10 · E2
February 14 · 36 min
Heartsick For Real Art, with Alfonso Civile
In this second episode of our dude-only Season 10 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Alfonso Civile of Heartsick Band: an incredible heavy metal ensemble combining hardcore and metalcore-tinged ferocity with haunting melodies and stunning atmospherics. Alfonso is not only a talented singer, musician, photographer, videographer and multimedia artist, but he generously donated his Zoolander-level Blue Steel modeling skills to our TOTEM + PUCK HCKY merch collaboration photoshoot, currently featured on PUCK's website. Rachel and Alfonso chat all things creativity and art in a time of commoditized slop. How can sincere artists, musicians and other creatives be seen and heard in a marketplace of enshittification? How can they get their fans to understand all of the invisible, unpaid work that being a creator requires? What can we all do to ensure that we still have quality culture, supporting artists in all the ways that matter the most? Alfonso embodies the incredible diversity in the dude-verse, showing up as an artist, creative and sensitive being in an unexpected world: heavy metal music. LINKS: Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo Alfonso's Links: Heartsick Website: https://heartsick.us Heartsick IG: https://www.instagram.com/heartsickband/ Alfonso IG: https://www.instagram.com/alfonsocivile/ 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.

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