Sex, Religion, Power And Politics

Author and Cultural Visionary, Pegi Eyers, working toward the decolonization process in herself and others has written Ancient Spirit Rising in an attempt to promote interconnection with Earth Communities and recovery of authentic ancestral wisdom and traditions for all people.  We'll discuss how we can reconstruct old/new earth-centered societies using the timeless values of indigenous knowledge as our model to weave analysis, evocation and promptings of the heart in order to heal our relationships with Turtle Island First Nations, promote intercultural competency, restore ecocentric worldviews and return to European Old Ways to create a more sustainable and peaceful future of co-existence.

Asra Q. Nomani, former reporter for the Wall Street Journal for 15 years, writer, thinker and public speaker on issues of women's rights and religious extremism in Islam  will discuss her book Standing Alone, An American Woman's Struggle for the Soul of Islam.  Asra will dispel the notion feminism and Islam are at odds, explaining what we're missing when it comes to Islam and feminism and share her manifesto for the rights of Muslim women from the boardroom to the bedroom - no, I'm not kidding.  Tune in!  Asra has been challenging extremist interpretations of Islam in the Muslim community and her community work advocating for women's rights and tolerance was featured in the PBS documentary, "The Mosque in Morgantown."

Isabella Price, international speaker, educator and author of Sacred Love: Manifestations of the Goddess, which is a part of the broader book series, "One Truth, Many Paths" on unitive spirituality discusses her newest book.  We'll delve into the empowering messages and inspiration that can be drawn from Goddess so humanity might evolve toward higher awareness, and what in particular the dark-skinned Mother Goddesses teach us at this time of great change.  We'll discuss the role models of the Divine Feminine in Christianity and how they compare to examples of other cultures.  We'll chat about Sacred Marriage and the potential "pitfalls" in relationship to the concept of the Divine Feminine that allows women to take the next evolutionar leap.

Shauna Aura Knight, co-editor of Pagan Leadership discusses the new anthology out exploring Pagan leadership in paganism and polytheism.  Getting beyong failed groups and the scorn that's often associated with this topic, Shauna discusses the need for a healthy, ethical community and leaders.  Many of us know first-hand what doesn't work so we won't waste time there, instead focusing on what DOES work!  As Pagan communities and leaders evolve, we're learning more about what it takes to become a better leader including better communication, how to deal with predators, resolve conflicts, the need for bylaws and a solid plan....and much, much more.

Duane Stjernholm of the United Earth Ecclesia tells us about the founding and work of UEE and his mission to change the predominant mind set of humans from a mindset of competition to one of cooperation and collaboration and how he proposes to accomplish that goal.  He'll tell us about some of the processes he's developed called Lenergy and Poll-itical Networking for Collective Consensus.  Duane holds a B.S. degree in Psychology, has spent years in the Peace Corps in the Philippines working in Rice Irrigation Water Management and teaching introductory Social Sciences at the University of the Philippines a Los Banos, Laguna.  He's earned a Master of Arts in Religion Degree, specializing in Religious Philosophy and Metaphysics and after hearing a talk by World Citizen and Inventor, R. Buckmaster Fuller, he was inspired to embark on his 35 year mission of changing the mindset of humanity in order to Co-Create the Greatest and Highest Good. Tim Ward returns to the show to discuss his new book, The Master Communi

First Guest....Among her many interests and gifts, tonight's guest, Gail Carruthers is a Mediator, Medium, and Reiki Practitioner, dedicated to working with energetics and the mind-body connection.  Tonight she shares with us her work as certified equine learning practitioner who uses horses to promote personal exploration of feelings and behaviors.  In tonight's interview we'll have Gail explain Equine Wisdom and how she has seen it manifest and help humans heal.  She has theories why women are so attracted to horses and how the noble beasts can help us become our best self and lead the best possible life.   Gail is also the creatrix of the podcast series called Spiritual Girlfriend heard around the world broadcasting in over 50 countries. Second Guest....Nadine Newlight joins us tonight to discuss Restoring Gender Equality.  Specifically we'll delve into what gender equality is, how it fanifests, why its eradication is important, how we might restore gender equality and what such a new paradigm might look

Tom Hatsis, historian of witchcraft, magic, Western religions, contemporary psychedelia and medieval pharmacopia discusses with us tonight how the "the Entheogenic Sacred Feminine was demonized as the infamous "witches' ointment' - so hold on to your broom! We'll talk about the witch stereotype and how the ointment fit into that stereotype, how he came upon his research including the voice of his skeptics, and where the recipes he produced came from.  Learn about Matteuccia de Francesco and why she's important to understanding the state of witchcraft at the time.  I think we're all in for an interesting conversation. Crossing the threshold into the second half of the show, STARHAWK is here with us to discuss her newest book, City of Refuge, sequel to Fifth Sacred Thing!

Ira Rechtshaffer, Ph.D. in Buddhist studies has been a Buddhist meditation practitioner for 40 years.  He studied Zen Buddhism in Japan for four years and has been a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism since 1976.  Also a psychotherapist for 25 years, integrating spiritual vision with psychological process in an effort to return "soul" to the helping relationship, what better person to chat with us about the relationship between mindfulness and madness.  Ira will will share how money, food and sex factor into mindfulness and explain the "wisdom of no escape".  We'll delve into the cultural factors shaping the Buddha's message in the West and the alchemy of personality.  Ira will also share his wisdom on the importance of "befriending our demons" and if this is different from the Christian version of demon.  Normandi Ellis returns tonight to discuss her newest book, The Union of Isis and Thoth. Clairvoyant, astrologer, author of 13 books, and Archpriestess of Isis in the Fellowship of Isis, Normandi and I will a

Molly Remer, women's circle facilitator and ordained priestess working on her dissertation about contemporary priestessing in the United States chats with us about the herstory of Womanrunes, created by Shekhinah Mountainwater; how to use them and why they're special or distinct from other oracle or divination systems.  She'll share what she's discovered in her researching contemporary priestessing and we discuss what it might take to actually realize vocational priestessing -- and the difference between priestess as archetype and priestess as profession.  Molly is the author of Womanrunes: A Guide to Their Use and Interpretation, Earthprayer, Birthprayer, Lifeprayer, Womanprayer and The Red Tent Resource Kit.  She's maintained her Talk Birth blog since 2007 and writes about thealogy, nature, practical priestessing and Goddess at her Woodpriestess blog.

Author, archaeologist and history professor, Dr. James Rietveld, author of Artemis of Ephesus: Magic, Mystery & Her Sacred Landscape will chat with us tonight on the topic:  Beyond Gimbutas - Hard Facts for Goddess Worship in the Ancient World.  While Marija Gimbutas is still beloved within Goddess Spirituality and Women's Studies, she is still a controversial figure in Academia, despite there being hard evidence to support Goddess worship and egalitarian societies in ancient times.  Tonight Dr. Rietveld will discuss these earliest human cultures and the proof that's out there, sometimes not yet published in the history books, that supports what the cognitive minority has been saying all along about what patriarchy has swept beneath the rug....tune in so next time you can dispute the nay-sayers with confidence using Dr. Rietveld's research and scholarship.

Author, archaeologist and expert on religion, Dr. James Rietveld will be with us this week and next discussing controversial topics:  Facts and Fiction of Islam and Beyond Gimbutas - Hard Evidence for Goddess Worship in Ancient Times. There's been a lot of disinformation and fear mongering out there regarding Islam and Muslims.  Resist the temptation to buy into it.  Tonight's show, Islam - Fact vs Fiction will delve into the truths of what Muslims are taught and believe, who Muhammad and his influential wife actually were and what he taught, Goddess influence in Islam, women's wearing of the veil, realistic/trumped up threats to Americans of Sharia Law, destruction of antiquities by ISIL and what's being done by brave civilians on the ground to save historical treasures, and much, much more!

Inspired by the movie Malificient, this is Part 2 of our trilogy, celebrating Feminist Fairy Tale & Goddess Mythology. Tonight our guest is with Foremother Barbara Walker. No doubt Barbara's books are in your personal library.  We'll discuss the importance of feminist fairy tales and Goddess Mythology and how so many have lost sight of what they teach us and how they're an alternative to the values of our patriarchal world. Barbara also has her new book coming out soon, Belief and Unbelief, and she'll give us some clues as to what that's all about. Next week I'll be chatting with Lenny Schneir, the partner of the late and beloved Foremother, Merlin Stone, author of the famous book inspiring so many of us -  When God Was a Woman.  Don't miss Week 1, when I interviewed Charlene Spretnak discussing pre-patriarchal Goddess Mythology.

NOTE:  Some technical difficulties start the show, but 5 1/2 minutes in they're resolved.  Be patient.  We have a great interview with a wise woman to share with you as Modern Medicine Woman, Shonagh discusses the importance of calling the wise woman back to a modern culture of people who have lost their way.  She'll tell us how to reclaim our l ost cultures, opening to "the ancestors of the ancestors."  As a medicine woman, Shonagh has rekindled an ancient relationship with the unseen worlds - nature spirits, elementals, ancestors, star beings..all allies to the seer woman or oracle.  We'll discuss visionary teaching plants and fungi and delve into what came first - the shaman or the mushroom!  Shonagh believes we are under a spell in this modern world, spells cast through words and images that begins in early development and continues through schooling, media, propaganda, state-run religions....and she'll give us her words of wisdom to break the spells cast upon us all.

As a book-end to last week's show with socialist economist Richard Wolf, I have returning to the show, visionary, author and foremother, Riane Eisler, author of the famous and inspirational books, The Chalice and the Blade and Our Real Wealth.  Riane will discuss caring economics and why corporations would actually benefit from these practices rather than the predator capitalistic values employees have had imposed upon them.  We'll also discuss the topic raised in The Chalice and the Blade, namely "Domination vs Partnership" and the need for the shift toward the latter so there's a better quality of life for the most of us.  We'll chat about SWEIs - new economic indicators that are a better gauge of how people are doing than GDP which fails to show the vast income disparity so many are suffering from.  Riane will talk about the plight of women and the poverty they and their children still face, and not just in third world countries, but here in the United States, which does not bode well for any of our future

Resolutions & Return of the Light is the next installment in the Goddess Calling: Inspirational Messages and Meditations audio book series.  Listeners said they wanted to hear more from the hostess of the show, Karen Tate.  They said they'd like to be able to "listen" to her book when they're multi-tasking rather than have to sit down and read it - so now you're getting your wish.  We have a dozen audio messages & meditations "in the can" and they'll be released every 3-4 weeks to fill much of 2016.  Resolutions and Return of the Light is intended for the early part of the year, during the time of Winter Solstice, Candlemas, and Brigit as as we begin to awake from our slumber and gestation in the darkness and start to think about the potential of the new year, life, renewing ourselves once again and the coming light. 

Tune in tonight as I chat with Noam Chomsky, noted philosopher, political critic, activist and long-time professor at MIT.  Noam has written extensively on politics, war, corporatism and the mass media.  Prof. Chomsky has been described as a prominent cultural fiture and he was voted the "world's top  public intellectual in 2005."  Topics might include:  His views on the role of feminism in today's society, government repression and our loss of civil liberties, including Obama's continuation of the Patriot Act.  What he thinks of the Affordable Health Care Act, his views on the distinction, if any, between Democrats vs Republicans. I'll inquire if  thinks Americans are being primed for a new war and what we as citizens can do to stem the tide of losing worker rights, voting rights, women's rights and the dumbing down of America. Crossing the threshold into the second half of the show, Layne Redmond, beloved drummer and author of the book, When the Drummers Were Women, returns to tell us about her new project

It is my great pleasure this evening to have an enlightening conversation with economist Richard Wolff, recommended by many of you, my listeners!  I was impressed by a wonderful and easy to understand interview Richard gave on PBS about the contemporary economic history of the United States:  how we managed to obtain Social Security, how we're slowly being destroyed by predator capitalism and what we can do to combat the system so we might have better quality of lives.  I know this is a major concern for the 99% as the income disparity widens in our "maturing economy" as what little wealth is made goes to the top 1%.  Tune in tonight and learn how we've been brain-washed to think Capitalism is grand and socialism is evil and what we can do in the short and long term to fix things.  I promise, this will be a conversation everyone will be able to understand - and enjoy!  Call it Economics for Dummies!

The noted Foremother and Pagan Elder, Margot Adler, author of "Drawing Down the Moon" considered a watershed in American Neopagan circles, as it provided the first comprehensive look at modern nature-based religions in the US. A journalist, lecturer, Wiccan priestess, radio journalist and correspondent for National Public Radio will discuss her work in the world and her insights into what's ahead for Goddess Advocates and Pagans, how things have changed in the last 15 years, the good and bad of the movement going more mainstream, feminist spirituality and closing of feminist bookstores and the passing of Pagan elders. We'll also go off-topic and discuss the spirit of the times, the interest in vampires. What do powerful Bill Compton and Stefan in the Vampire Diaries have in common and the feminist the environmental thrust in the vampire phenomena.

At the top of the hour Ken Worthy, lecturer and research associate at the University of California in Santa Cruz and Berkeley and St. Mary's College of CA will discuss Finding the Human Place in Nature.  We'll discuss the invisibility of Nature, our disconnection from Nature which leads to our being unethical and how clean technology are major sources of environmental degradation.  On the positive side, Ken gives insight as to how we can have a better relationship with nature, make it more visible in their lives and how eco-feminism informs his life's work.  Then crossing the threshold into the second half of the show, feminist, teacher, founder of the Feminist Collective. Sylvia Federici, discusses Women, Witch-Hunting and the Development of Capitalism, Past and Present.  We'll delve into the relationship between witch-hunting and the development of capitalism as argued in Caliban and the Witch.  Role of the church in witch-hunting, how it relates to the surge in violence against women today and more on the

Enjoy this reading from my newest book, Goddess Calling, called Separating Truth from Myth, inspired by stories, old wives tales and urban legends that become accepted as truths.  With another Thanksgiving behind us and the holiday of Christmas just ahead, both times when history is distorted by "fairy tales," consider this sacred message for inspiration and insight - by Karen Tate.