The Numinous Podcast

Sophie Strand, the author of 'The Body is a Doorway,' dives deep into complex topics surrounding health, trauma, and spirituality. She challenges conventional notions of health and critiques the pursuit of medical diagnoses while advocating for a compassionate understanding of chronic illness. The conversation addresses the impact of capitalism on wellness, the intersection of grief and joy, and the importance of authentic storytelling as a healing tool. Strat's insights encourage embracing challenges and fostering personal growth through creative expression.

This is a conversation about the ritual my husband and I devised – mentioned briefly in my new book, Spells for the Apocalypse – and which we've shared with many friends who've heard us refer to it, who've asked us how to do it, or for advice on what we've done when our marriage was on the rocks. We touch on topics like the real estate market, intergenerational trauma, neurodiversity, astrocartography, collapse-oriented choices we've made, attachment and the somatic cycle – all my favourite things! This ritual was a "Hail Mary" move in our marriage. Granted, we've never dealt with infidelity or lies, and we've always had a foundational respect. We really, genuinely like each other which, sadly, not all couples can say. However, patriarchy is still in play, what with us both steeped in this patriarchal culture. And trauma always lurks in the shadows. And attachment is a dynamic force that can sometimes be stretched too thin. So here's the breakdown of the ritual we've done in desperate times, why we think it worked/works, and the impact it's had on our marriage. We call it The Ritual of the Marriage Moon. We begin with a little context around why we needed the ritual in the first place, and how it's still serving us many years later. Referenced in this episode: Diane Poole Heller's somatic attachment therapy training Portrait of a Marriage podcast miniseries Portrait of a Marriage article The Roots of Addiction in Free Market Society by Bruce Alexander The Numinous Network (where you can access my two attachment courses: Secure and Contact Nutrition 101) *Not referenced in this article but definitely related and recommended for man-identified folks who want to learn more: Bear Hebert's course, Undoing Patriarchy Order your copy of Spells for the Apocalypse: Practical Magic for Turbulent Times Leave us feedback!

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, Timothy Snyder Donate to the Amazon Labour Union Get involved in your local 4H Club in Canada or the US! Buy The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year Buy Spells for the Apocalypse: Practical Magic for Turbulent Times (publication date: Jan.14, 2025) ~ Join us in The Numinous Network ~

Buy The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year Buy Spells for the Apocalypse: Practical Magic for Turbulent Times (publication date: Jan.14, 2025) ~ Join us in The Numinous Network ~

Buy Aly Halpert's song or album, Loosen, on Bandcamp The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year Spells for the Apocalypse: Practical Magic for Turbulent Times (publication date: Jan.14, 2025) ~ Join us in The Numinous Network ~

Today we're doubling down on our protective plant magic to bolster our spiritual safeness while the veil remains thin. We also look at 'wassail' as a noun, verb, and greeting which is especially appropriate on the 9th night of Yule which is associated with the 9th month of the year – the apple-iest month there is – September. Buy The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year Pre-order Spells for the Apocalypse: Practical Magic for Turbulent Times (publication date: Jan.14, 2025) ~ Join us in The Numinous Network ~

In this episode, we're cleansing home and body with medicinal herbs by making vermouth, potpourri and incense in order to finish the year well. Buy The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year Pre-order Spells for the Apocalypse: Practical Magic for Turbulent Times (publication date: Jan.14, 2025) ~ Join us in The Numinous Network ~

In this episode we explore myths related to the beauty of binaries, balance, and cycles of death and resurrection. Some of the myths can help us queer the holidays, others can help us put strained sibling relationships into new perspective. Learn why why ham is such a symbolic meal during this holiday time, and consider some simple rituals to help you bring more balance into your life.   Buy The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year Pre-order Spells for the Apocalypse: Practical Magic for Turbulent Times (publication date: Jan.14, 2025) ~ Join us in The Numinous Network ~

✨My favourite part of Yuletide!✨ Hearth spirits, house brownies, and protective supernatural allies for homes, barns, and livestock are all propitiated at this time. For me, this seems like a great way to steer children away from the more commercial aspects of this time of year and spark imagination, intuition, and an animist sensibility. A fun ritual for today would be to research what house spirits were called in your family's heritage ♥️ Buy The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year Pre-order Spells for the Apocalypse: Practical Magic for Turbulent Times (publication date: Jan.14, 2025) ~ Join us in The Numinous Network ~

Ancient traditions around the return of the light imply a revival of hope and healing. Pagans created art and apothecary items to reflect the beautiful and harmonious qualities of the cosmos, adorning their homes and bodies to revive the spirit in wintertime. Buy The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year Pre-order Spells for the Apocalypse: Practical Magic for Turbulent Times (publication date: Jan.14, 2025) ~ Join us in The Numinous Network ~