Shows
Moonbeaming113. Shady Spirituality: Red Flags, Narcissism, White Supremacy, & Cults in the Industry with Katya Weiss-AnderssonWhat is it about New Age Spirituality™ that gives us the ick? How do so many people get caught up in cult-like communities, or actual cults?This week, Sarah’s unpacking the red flags within pop-culture spirituality, the New Age realm, and holistic wellness spaces.She’s joined by Katya Weiss-Andersson, an herbalist, astrologer, yoga practitioner, and plant-based chef who has an insider’s perspective into the pitfalls of contemporary wellness and spirituality. You can hear more from Katya on her podcast “Love and Light Confessionals,” keep up with her on Instagram, and check out her website...2023-08-2354 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsThe Fall of the Coaching IndustryDespite what most coaches would have you to believe, many of them are struggling to make the kind of money and bring in the kind of engagement, attention and enrollment they used to. Why is the coaching industry crumbling? To answer that question, we delve into several more: Why do people say the coaching industry is a giant pyramid scheme? What should people do if they feel that they've been scammed by their coach? And what's about ethical coaches? Clinical input and research courtesy of Mary Claire Ferachi (MA, LPC, LAC) and Katie Smith (MA, LPC, MFT-C)2023-07-261h 23
Love & Light ConfessionalsThe Wellness Perfectionism PlagueWhat happens when spirituality and wellness-related tools end up giving us material for obsessive and unhealthy fixations?2022-02-0921 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsUncanceled: Surviving Susun WeedSusun Weed is a well-known herbalist living on a farm in Upstate New York. For decades, her survivors have told stories of being beaten, broken down, drugged and trafficked by her while paying for her courses and apprenticeships, yet Susun remains praised and platformed in the American herbalism community. How can this be, when so many (including law enforcement) have known about her abuse for so long?2022-02-0258 minLove & Light ConfessionalsHow the Grift is GriftedHow exactly do new-age and wellness influencers successfully convince people to give them so much money? This episode explores nine specific sales tactics, from love-bombing to prosperity gospel2022-01-2140 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsThe Sisterhood of the Sacred No HomoGuess what- most of those divine femininity influencer ladies? sleep with each other. all the time. While simultaneously building brands off of content that only acknowledges the validity of heterosexual relationships. This is the story of how a community that claims to accept everyone manages to be homophobic as hell.2022-01-0735 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsHomeopathywtf is homeopathy? Does it refer to all holistic health practices, or one modality in particular? How is it different from herbalism? And most importantly, does it have any credibility? 2021-12-1530 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsCulty Hot Yoga: Bikram, Forrest, BaptisteWhat drives someone to do vigorous exercise in a hot room packed with smelly, stinky people? Is sweating actually an effective form of detox, and does hot yoga really deliver the workout you think it does? This episode investigates three specific hot yoga brands- Bikram Yoga, Forrest Yoga and Baptiste Yoga- and explores the question of whether or not it's ethical to create your own trademarked yoga name brand in the first place. CW: sexual abuse Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to 'Cornucopia' by Jose Calarco2021-12-081h 02
Love & Light ConfessionalsJames Arthur Ray What happens when cultural appropriation becomes deadly? James Arthur Ray killed three people in October 2009, but has been able to successfully re-launch his career as a spiritual self-help salesman. How was he able to manipulate people to override their most hard-wired survival instincts, and how was he able to bounce back and even profit off of the story? Seeksafely.org Support this work: https://www.patreon.com/katyaweissandersson 2021-07-061h 04
Love & Light ConfessionalsA Murder Mystery DilemaThis episode does two things: 1. Explores the story of the mysterious death of Carla Jean Shaffer and the local self-fashioned guru, Aaravindha Himdara, who swears he had no part in it 2. Explores the dilemma of what happens when both sides of a story give you red flags Scofield's original piece on Carla Shaffer's death Scofield's Love Has won Audio Documentary Support this work 2021-06-2550 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsHolistic Pseudoscience DietsThis episode delves into two particularly dogmatic and pseudoscientific diets within the holistic wellness world: raw veganism and the Weston A Price diet. We also revisit the Medical Medium as Katya reports back after doing his celery juice challenge Support this work: https://www.patreon.com/katyaweissandersson2021-06-1656 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsThe Twelve Tribes CultThe Twelve Tribes is a messianic cult with communities and businesses worldwide; they camouflage themselves seamlessly with hippie communities and recruit new people as actively as they can. Not only are their teachings horrifically racist, antisemitic and homophobic, but countless survivors have reported experiencing child abuse, sexual abuse and more. What's worse: no one quite knows who's died and been buried on their grounds. FBI Document Support this work2021-06-0253 min
Love & Light Confessionals"I Am a Mirror of Your Unhealed Traumas"In the new-age world, one particular tactic is being used more and more frequently to dismiss and silence criticism. It's being used by Bauhauswife, Angela Sumner, The Holistic Psychologist, followers of the Love Has Won cult and its now-deceased leader Amy Carlson, and countless others. This episode identifies and takes apart this tactic.2021-05-2219 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsThe Love Has Won CultThe Love Has Won cult has been preying on people, abusing their followers and drawing in money for years, but it looks like their leader, 45-year-old Amy Carlson aka "Mother God," has been found dead. This episode takes a closer look at this QAnon-aligned, Colorado-based spiritual group. https://www.risingabovelhw.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lovehaswon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRxD3eH19hE Support this work at: http://www.patreon.com/katyaweissandersson 2021-05-1122 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsConspiritualityKatya gives an uncomfortable and belated answer to a very popular set of questions and concerns regarding the Conspirituality Podcast2021-05-0536 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsPolarity Part 2: Mars & Venus EditionToday's new-age polarity scene not only shares an alarming overlap with Conservative Christian "Traditional Gender Roles" culture, but also owes much of its origins to the 1992 relationship self-help bestseller Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by fraudster and scammer "Doctor" John Gray. 2021-04-3021 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsThe Polarity TrendIs it the hottest trend sweeping the new-age and self help world, helping people hack their lives and relationships with a fundamental law of the universe, or is it just centuries-old recycled misogyny?2021-04-2340 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsThe Natural Birth ExtremistsThis episode dives into the controversial "Freebirth" movement and their views on everything from birth to surrogacy to COVID to race to...porn and the rights of transgender people?2021-04-1550 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsNot Your Studio's Token Black Yoga TeacherAfter many years of experience, Davidia Turner was tired of being used as the “token Black teacher” at yoga studio after yoga studio. So in the midst of a wild 2020, she walked away from studio teaching. On this episode, Davidia tells her story in her own words.Davidia's Website Patreon to support this podcast Yoga is Dead Episode2021-04-0732 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsThe Whole Foods FaçadeWhat happens when a corporation puts on a performance of values and makes a brand out of wholesomeness, but carries out a very different reality behind the scenes? Whole Worker Union2021-03-2954 minLove & Light ConfessionalsBonus: NXIVM & New-Age Predation ft: Doe PaoroThis episode tells the story of the sex trafficking cult NXIVM, and how devastatingly NXIVM's story of abuse parallels existing groups and leaders in the new-age and wellness world. Doe Paoro features in a powerful guest interview telling her own story of experiencing woo-sphere predation, and the factors that enabled it.2020-11-2254 min
Non-Diet YogiEp 16: Blood, Sweat, and Açaí: The Karma of SuperfoodsDid you know that many far-flung ‘superfoods’ carry a heavy environmental and social footprint?In this episode:WTF is a superfood? (and some brief thoughts on Juice Plus+)Rarity breeds desireIssues around the sustainable harvesting of quinoaYogis, food and karmaCost-effective alternatives to exotic $$$ superfoodsLinks:Ep 15: Wellness Capitalism: Essential Oil MLMs, Whitewashed Herbalism, and "Naturopreneurs" with Katya Weiss-AnderssonEp 11. Wildly Accessible Food & Medicine: Foraging Edible Weeds & Bush Foods with Pat CollinsOriginal article this episode is based onSupport the show2020-11-1026 minLove & Light ConfessionalsBonus: Essential Oil MLMsDelving all the way into the spicy past and present of the two biggest multi-level marketing corporations in the spiritual and holistic wellness world: Young Living and doTerra. A story about fake certifications, bogus product lines and a guy named Donald Gary Young.2020-11-0946 minLove & Light ConfessionalsPseudoscience ft: Mercola & Medical MediumThis season finale episode tackles the woo-sphere's epidemic of bad medical advice- featuring alternative health superstars Joseph Mercola and the Medical Medium- and the question of how exactly do you figure out what health advice is trustworthy when you can't trust the Western medical establishment either?2020-10-1536 minLove & Light ConfessionalsIs Cancel Culture Unspiritual?How do you gently, firmly and effectively "call someone in" when they're doing harm...and what happens when it doesn't work? Is it ever ethical or spiritually sound to call someone out, or even "cancel" them? This episode talks about Kindness Yoga, JK Rowling and most of all, our old friend Dr. Nicole LePera, aka The Holistic Psychologist. Be prepared for fraud, anti-Blackness and some spicy DMs.2020-10-1037 minLove & Light Confessionals10 Questions with KatyaListener-submitted Q&A featuring why we tell spiritual women to stop competing with each other, how to balance not being a charlatan with not being driven by impostor syndrome, how the show almost made Katya break up with woo, and "What's the deal with The Holistic Psychologist?"2020-10-0229 minLove & Light ConfessionalsYoga & VegansTwo woo-sphere hallmarks and the antics that come with them Resources mentioned: The Yoga is Dead Podcast, Susanna Barkataki, @abcdyogi2020-09-2530 minLove & Light ConfessionalsThe Purity ObsessionWhile purity culture is usually associated with Christianity, the woo-sphere has its own pretty intense purity culture around sex, bodies, food, water, healthcare, thoughts, emotions, EMFs...we've got detoxes and diseasemongering all day long. What's more toxic: toxins, or obsessing about toxins?2020-09-1831 minLove & Light ConfessionalsCults & Kool-AidCults are fascinating, horrifying and in the woo-sphere, they're popular. But how do we know what's a cult and what isn't? This episode discusses the Landmark Forum, a mystery school cult from the eyes of a survivor, MLMs (again) and...Mormon fortune telling? Featuring interviews by Erin Aquarian and Katie Smith, LPCC Resources mentioned: the Landmark Article, Stronger After, the McKenna Denson Article, Decolonizing Therapy, the Conspirituality and IndoctriNation Podcasts.2020-09-1156 minNon-Diet YogiEp 15: Wellness Capitalism: Essential Oil MLMs, Whitewashed Herbalism & "Naturopreneurs" with Katya Weiss-AnderssonIt's time we explored capitalism in it’s indiscriminately elderberry syrup guzzling, MLM essential oil dowsed, $400 supplement protocol pushing form: Wellness Capitalism. In this episode:The value of healthy skepticism, and where Katya's comes fromHow capitalism takes holistic healthcare - which was traditionally accessible, deeply contextual and collectively empowering - and warps this to make it inaccessible, commodified and whitewashedThe trouble with smudgingCultivating a relationship with the plants you use in your healingEssential oils: would a simple tea do? Plus oral ingestion, COVID "cures", and MLMsOne-size-fits-all herbalism versus constitutional herbal traditions such as Ayurveda and TCMOver har...2020-09-091h 44Love & Light ConfessionalsGood Psychics & Bad PsychicsWith intuitive modalities such as astrology, tarot, runes, spirit communication, etc., there are two ways readings go badly: the person doing the reading isn't actually as skilled in that modality as they think they are... and/or the person goes about doing the reading in unethical ways. Katya is joined by therapist-astrologer Kris Rahbany (@the.celestial.alchemist on IG) to talk about four elements of ethical readings for any intuitive modality.2020-09-0335 minLove & Light ConfessionalsGuru Culture and the Divine MasculineWhy does the woo-sphere have such an epidemic of predators masquerading as gurus? What is divine masculinity work and how does it tie into all this? https://www.yogaisdeadpodcast.com/episodes/2019/7/21/guruskilledyoga2020-08-3126 minLove & Light ConfessionalsSpiritual Selective Empathy: Human TraffickingWhy are so many people on your social media feed posting about child trafficking and #savethechildren lately? Why are so many of these anti-child trafficking activists also anti-Black Lives Matter? Why is this such a big trend in the woo-sphere in particular...and what do Mormons have to do with all this? Most importantly, is this kind of activism effective in doing the important work of fighting human trafficking? This episode discusses indoctrinated gullibility, the fetishization of all things "alternative," and selective empathy.2020-08-2032 minLove & Light ConfessionalsLife in Spiritual Girlboss Hell Ft: Teal Swan & The Sophia CodeLast week's episode laid out spiritual boss babe culture- now let's talk about what it looks like to be a truly, wildly successful spiritual girl boss, through the examples of Teal Swan and Kaia Ra. What does it look like to be a woman who makes money- a LOT of money- off spiritual teachings, programs and merchandise? CW: mention of suicide at 19:10-19:35 Music by Will Shish, art by Chelsea Amato, episode co-researched by Aubrey Zinaich2020-08-1324 minLove & Light ConfessionalsBoss Babe Culture & the Divine FeminineIs girl boss culture actually empowering for working women? What about when spiritualized by the woo-sphere doctrine of divine femininity? What does all that look like? #bossbabe #femmepreneur #mompreneur #girlboss #drinkthatsacredliquid Female spiritual entrepreneurs shouted out in this episode, by instagram handle: @cosmic.mama.herbalism, @ladyspeech, @davidia.turner, @mynameisjessamyn, @aubrey.zinaich, @yogawithkeis2020-08-0635 minLove & Light ConfessionalsToxic Positivity CultureHow can positivity be so...negative? This episode breaks down spiritual gaslighting, spiritual bypassing in its two different types, boundary-shaming, anger repression, high-vibe-low-vibe culture, and toxic manifestation ideology. Hosted by Katya Weiss-Andersson, music by Will Shishmanian, art by Chelsea Amato. 2020-07-3029 min
Love & Light ConfessionalsWhat's NextThree words: toxic positivity culture.2020-07-2200 minLove & Light ConfessionalsThe Hippie Love Affair with Alt-Right Conspiracy TheoryBelieve it or not, the holistic wellness & spirituality world has a massive love affair with extreme right-wing conspiracy theory. How did that happen, how did it become so widespread among the woo-sphere, what does it look like, and what does all the pro-Trump, anti-Semitic conspiracy theory play in the world of Love&Light? This episode is all about 5G, chemtrails, anti-vaxxers and QAnon. Hosted by Katya Weiss-Andersson, music by Will Shish, art by Chelsea Amato2020-07-1628 minLove & Light ConfessionalsSacred CapitalismThe woo-sphere is full of weird contradictions, perhaps none bigger than the spectacle of "sacred capitalism." This looks like small children being paid next to nothing to mine the rose quartz on your altar, or women in the Philippines being paid next to nothing to make you inspirational memes for your brand's Instagram. Is it possible to come up with a version of capitalism that can truly coincide with spiritual and wellness principles?2020-07-0926 minLove & Light ConfessionalsEmpaths & Twin FlamesThis episode explores how certain trendy "spiritual" buzzwords normalize and even glamorize some particularly harmful dynamics, using the examples of "empath" and "twin flame." Hosted by Katya Weiss-Andersson, Music by Will Shish, Art by Chelsea Amato2020-07-0418 minLove & Light ConfessionalsSpiritual Influencer CultureVery few things are more bizarre than spiritual influencer culture. Kumbaya Confessional describes this strange breed of "sacred" capitalism and how it played out for the late Denver yoga giant Kindness Yoga, as well as an aspiring wellness influencer and her brand, The Goddess Ceremony. Music by Will Shishmanian Art by Chelsea Amato IG @kumbaya.confessional2020-06-2733 minLove & Light ConfessionalsSacred Pyramid SchemesIllegal pyramid schemes have always been extremely popular in the woo-sphere- particularly in divine femininity circles- but why? Learn how this classic scammer trick is now wreaking more havoc than ever amidst spiritual and holistic communities.2020-05-2716 min