Épisodes

  • S7E3: 🌑♎️ Memos with Friends- “It’s a sad song, we sing it anyway”- Connecting in Collapse w/ Carmen Spagnola

    S7E3: 🌑♎️ Memos with Friends- “It’s a sad song, we sing it anyway”- Connecting in Collapse w/ Carmen Spagnola
    Oct 10 2026
    Y’all. I have been dragging my feet on releasing this podcast. Partially because I was tending to my October 1 commitment to self and spirit to release Feral Diaries, but also because this episode activates all the emotions that come up in me around the question and developmental task of- “How do I connect with people in down-power positions in times of collapse?” The hope for this series was for Carmen and I to companion one another in the release of our upcoming books, and specifically to promote hers. In episode 1 of this miniseries, Carmen and I discussed how important an analysis of power is to being in good relationship- or “How to connect with people in down-power positions?” In episode 2, Carmen’s dog Mona had died, and that episode felt like a huge developmental task of grappling with “how do I connect with people in their times of personal collapse?” But the events included in these voice memos for this podcast, July 27-September 14 include Carmen’s home and farm destroyed by the BC fires. And the dissolution of her Co-Op Publishing House- 9th House Press. There is so much grief and rage around this tragedy, as well as moments of clarity, joy, and satisfiability (See: Carmen’s Instagram) This episode is really shining a light on my deepened sense of yearning to discover, “As a person with enough resources to be comfortably cushioned by the worst effects of collapse, what does it look like to meaningfully connect with those bearing the brunt of collapse?” I don’t have a definitive answer. A part of me cringes that I am even centering my feelings here on my podcast and substack. “The world is on fire! Carmen lost her home! October 7th has come and gone yet again and Israel is still genociding Palestinians! DO SOMETHING!” That part of me is wise, and hurting that there is nothing I can realistically do to solve the predicaments of collapse. But then I remember this concept of “Small and Delicious Life” that Carmen and Ruben practice and teach. Sustainability-Behavior Change= Small and Delicious Life. Ruben said once in a collapse AMA “We can’t convince people to change with information and pleads for behavior change, our best hope is offering social proof. Don’t tell people all the reasons to recycle and demand they recycle, just be a person who recycles.” “We can’t convince people to change with information and pleads for behavior change, our best hope is offering social proof. Don’t tell people all the reasons to recycle and demand they recycle, just be a person who recycles.” (Words to that effect)- Ruben Anderson I suspect that this is the direction I am heading. I want my life and my art to be in service of offering social proof that the privileged white and owning class can value their shared humanity with the global majority and working class white folks as well as their place in the larger animistic world more than hoarding more power, comforts, and conveniences. I still grapple, I still feel uncertainty, I still doubt. But what if I do it anyway, the best way that I can today knowing that it can look different in a month or a year or a decade. What if I can be compassionate with the uncertainty, but still proceed as though I know where I am going? Because I do. I am reaching for connection. I am reaching for healing. I am trying to live my life, be with people, and make art in service of softening the hold that oppressive systems of domination have over us— keeping us doing their dirty work. The perfectionistic, image-concerned, “woke and wealthy white lady” in me doesn’t want to release this podcast episode, because it is opening up messy questions and big feelings with no happy ending. But I have sat with this part of me and assured her there is safety and belonging ahead, even if it might not be with who we expect, and even if the path ahead is messy, we have many beloveds holding us in their care. Because I do. I have already begun sending memos back and forth with two other Numini who know and love all the parts of me, who are willing to connect with me as I journey my way through the messiness of living out the question of “Given who I am, how do I be here in a good way?” In the words of Hadestown, this episode is “a sad song, a tragedy. We are gonna sing it anyway.” So take care of yourself if you choose to listen. It was sent over the span of months, so you don’t need to listen all at once or at all. I am uploading it as chapters and will include them below and with relevant links for you to engage with as you wish with your informed consent. Links: Carmen’s Go Fund Me Carmen’s Instagram Intro Chapter 2: Carmen July 27- “You Have a Dream, you go get it!) Carmen reflects on the Mona Song from ep2, and Kristyn’s connection with Hadestown and the practice of navigating consent in interpersonal relationships. Numinous Podcast Links: Collete Barron Reid “You have a dream you go get it” Erinn ...
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    1 h et 30 min
  • S7E2: 🌕♒️Memos w/ Friends: Tending Ourselves and Each Other with Spaciousness and Creativity w/ Carmen Spagnola {Mercury Retrograde}

    S7E2: 🌕♒️Memos w/ Friends: Tending Ourselves and Each Other with Spaciousness and Creativity w/ Carmen Spagnola {Mercury Retrograde}
    Jul 27 2026

    (This episode is a collection of voice memos that took place from June 30th through July 21st. That’s right witches, the timeline of these conversations is perfectly sandwiched by Mercury going retrograde, give a day or two on each end. It feels significant to mention that June 30th was the day that Carmen’s beloved dog Mona became an ancestor)

    In this episode, Kristyn presents a suggestion for discussion topics honoring Mercury’s retrograde and Carmen responds that she does not have capacity to engage as she is tending her grief over the death of her canine companion, Mona. We reflect on how important it is to honor ourselves when our capacity is low and how we as friends can honor the push and pull of conflicting needs and desires.

    Kristyn shares her shorthand she uses with her friends- “tell me to f*** off” and a song that she and her partner Kevin wrote inspired by Carmen’s podcast about Mona’s life and the rituals performed after her death.

    Season 7 is a collection of voice memos between Kristyn and Carmen in the lead up to the release of Carmen’s book, How to Connect: Build Strong Bonds and Deep Connections Through Contact Nutrition (No Matter Your Attachment Style, Trauma History, or Neurotype) and the incremental release of Kristyn’s Empyrean Fanfic “Feral Diaries.” The intention of this season is to document the transition of a relationship from a mentor/mentee and provider/client to friend. In it, we commit to practicing secure attachment through an exchange of voice memos during a time when we are both releasing written works into the world. You can listen to the previous episode, Episode 1 here.

    Carmen’s previous appearances on Stoner Story Witch include: Season 1 of Severance, Season 2 of Severance, and Heated Rivalry Season 1.

    Preorder Carmen’s Book

    Follow the podcast on Substack & Instagram!

    —---------------------------------------------

    Grateful for all the learning and inspiration alluded to in today’s episode:

    Join Kristyn and Carmen on Carmen Spagnola’s online Numinous Network

    Liberation with Rev. angel Kyodo williams

    As always:----------------------------------

    Thankful for the musical inspiration for the theme song:

    Hadestown by Anais Mitchell, specifically “Our Lady of the Underground” and Orpheus’ Song

    “Hedwig’s Theme” by John Williams

    Shout out for the artistic assistance of:

    Matt Schubbe (Logo)

    Kevin Carlow (Music)
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    55 min
  • S7E1: 🌑♋️ Memos w/ Friends: Taming the Werewolf Within w/ Carmen Spagnola

    S7E1: 🌑♋️ Memos w/ Friends: Taming the Werewolf Within w/ Carmen Spagnola
    Jul 13 2026
    (This episode is a collection of voice memos that took place from June 17 through June 30th. It feels significant and worthwhile to mention that June 30th was the day that Carmen’s beloved dog Mona became an ancestor) Welcome to Season 7, a collection of voice memos between Kristyn and Carmen in the lead up to the release of Carmen’s book, How to Connect: Build Strong Bonds and Deep Connections Through Contact Nutrition (No Matter Your Attachment Style, Trauma History, or Neurotype) and the incremental release of Kristyn’s Empyrean Fanfic “Feral Diaries.” The intention of season 7 is to document the transition of a relationship from a mentor/mentee and provider/client to friend. In it, we commit to practicing secure attachment through an exchange of voice memos during a time when we are both releasing written works into the world. In this episode, we discussed the werewolf archetype as a model for the importance of tracking power in our intimate relationships- as mothers, as white-bodied friends to other women of the global majority, and as women in relationships with men. Kristyn shares about the roadmap that many romantasy series provide where the male main character is modeling how they tame the werewolf within (unless the series extends past two books, as Kristyn goes on a bit of a tangent on ACOTAR as well as Pride and Prejudice). Carmen’s previous appearances on Stoner Story Witch include: Season 1 of Severance, Season 2 of Severance, and Heated Rivalry Season 1. As today is the new moon in Cancer, it feels magical to note that Carmen was also featured in the episode for the full moon in Cancer, where she spoke about Amor Fati. Follow the podcast on Substack & Instagram! —--------------------------------------------- Grateful for all the learning and inspiration alluded to in today’s episode: Carmen Spagnola’s Power Mapping workshop (see Spring Up Liberatory Education for more), Carmen’s Secure Attachment and Contact Nutrition Courses on the Numinous Network, Carmen’s Numinous Podcast, specifically her episode on the Ritual of Marriage Moon Preorder Carmen’s Book Follow Zawn Villines for more on the role of patriarchy, starting with her “Not All Men Hotline” MN_Therapist on Instagram (lots of reels explaining the role of power in children going no contact with their parents). Dra Rocio Rosales Mesa toi smith Liberation with Rev. angel Kyodo williams As always:---------------------------------- Thankful for the musical inspiration for the theme song: Hadestown by Anais Mitchell, specifically “Our Lady of the Underground” and Orpheus’ Song “Hedwig’s Theme” by John Williams Shout out for the artistic assistance of: Matt Schubbe (Logo) Kevin Carlow (Music)
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    1 h et 21 min
  • S6E1: 🌕♑️ Stories from the Sourdough Swap w/ Dina and Sarah

    S6E1: 🌕♑️ Stories from the Sourdough Swap w/ Dina and Sarah
    Jun 29 2026

    From 2024-2026, I have facilitated an ever-emerging Sourdough Swap- an attachment oriented and trauma informed anti-capitalist community building practice. The skills I have used as a facilitator are a blend of what I learned from Carmen Spagnola’s Facilitation Training as well as through facilitation training with the Offers and Needs model through the Post Growth Institute. Aside from being featured on Asteria’s Convos, I have not shared much publicly about “the swap.”

    Until now.

    As the podcast and the swap are both entering into their third year, it is increasingly evident that the time has come for the two to merge- to allow Stories from the Swap to be shared publicly. As season 6 of the Stoner Story Witch podcast.

    This episode features a conversation with Sarah and Dina, two swappers who graciously accepted the invitation to record a conversation with the following prompts:

    -How would you describe the swap to someone who has never heard about it?

    ⁠-What is your “swap story?”/what has been your experience of the swap so far?

    -What do you enjoy most about the swap?

    -What has been/is your intention/practice of the swap?

    -A favorite swap moment

    -How has your experience in the swap impacted you/ what shifts have you noticed within yourself since joining the swap?

    -Hopes/dreams/visions you have for the future of the swap?

    Specifically, in this conversation we discussed how we practice identifying our internalized patriarchy, the importance of a council of elders, and parsed out how community building is both resource sharing and intimacy building, and grappled with the messiness of it all.

    Follow the podcast on Substack or Instagram!

    —---------------------------------------------

    Grateful for all the learning and inspiration alluded to in today’s episode:

    Camen Spagnola’s Numinous Network, Facilitation Training, and PreOrder her Book

    Liberation with Rev. angel Kyodo williams

    As always:----------------------------------

    Thankful for the musical inspiration for the theme song:

    Hadestown by Anais Mitchell, specifically “Our Lady of the Underground” and Orpheus’ Song

    “Hedwig’s Theme” by John Williams

    Shout out for the artistic assistance of:

    Matt Schubbe (Logo)

    Kevin Carlow (Music)
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    55 min
  • Stoner Solstice: "Feral Diaries" Part 1 is out now

    Stoner Solstice: "Feral Diaries" Part 1 is out now
    Jun 28 2026

    I am so excited to share that the Empyrean fanfic that I have been working on for a year and a half is finally coming out! Part 1 is released TODAY in honor of the June Solstice, Part 2 will come out on July 15 (Conscription Day) and Part 3 will release on October 1 (Threshing day).

    This book is a compilation and integration of my own favorite theories for the series and I have tried as hard as I can to make it align with the existing canon. I want it to feel like it is book 4! (or I guess we could say, book 3.5).

    This is a labor of love for all of the Empyrean fans, but especially those of you on Reddit.
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    3 min
  • S5E10: 🌑♊️Writer’s Group Ch 10: A Sneak Peak of “Feral Diaries” w/Matt

    S5E10: 🌑♊️Writer’s Group Ch 10: A Sneak Peak of “Feral Diaries” w/Matt
    Jun 14 2026

    Note: This Writers Group episode is more of a diary entry documenting our creative process rather than a well-researched audio essay about a theme or an outlined interview. Transitions may feel jarring or confusing since the priority is consent and privacy over elements of our work.

    For the first time ever, I am including the part of our gathering where I read an excerpt of the book in progress (!), and this conversation also includes: how language (especially pronouns) shapes our worldview, edgewalkers and fugitives, and Kristyn discusses again how Birdbox (2018) is really just about collapse.

    (This conversation happened on January 20, 2026)

    You can find Matt here and here

    Follow the podcast on Substack or Instagram!

    —---------------------------------------------

    Grateful for all the learning and inspiration alluded to in today’s episode:

    Jeanna Kadlec: “Embrace the Cringe” and “No new stories”

    People’s Oracle, Dayna Lynn Nuckolls “Liberation is Collective Imagination”

    Thanks to Sophie Strand for “Compost Heap” and “Sexy Inventory” on Substack

    Bayo Akomolafe

    Liberation with Rev. angel Kyodo williams

    As always:----------------------------------

    Thankful for the musical inspiration for the theme song:

    Hadestown by Anais Mitchell, specifically “Our Lady of the Underground” and Orpheus’ Song

    “Hedwig’s Theme” by John Williams

    Shout out for the artistic assistance of:

    Matt Schubbe (Logo)

    Kevin Carlow (Music)
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    32 min
  • S5E9: 🌑♉️Writer’s Group Ch 9: Past Predicted the Present: Turn it in Pass/Fail w/ Matt

    S5E9: 🌑♉️Writer’s Group Ch 9: Past Predicted the Present: Turn it in Pass/Fail w/ Matt
    May 16 2026

    Note: This Writers Group episode is more of a diary entry documenting our creative process rather than a well-researched audio essay about a theme or an outlined interview. Transitions may feel jarring or confusing since the priority is consent and privacy over elements of our work.

    Much of this conversation was omitted to protect details of our writings in progress, but in this conversation we discussed Matt embarking on his 2026 goal of self-publishing his book “Prayer Warriors” (anticipated release on August 3rd) while Kristyn (accurately) predicts the day (it is upon us) where she is gonna just click “publish” on the fanfic as Pass/Fail.

    (This conversation happened on January 13, 2026)

    You can find Matt here and here

    Follow the podcast on Substack or Instagram!

    —---------------------------------------------

    Grateful for all the learning and inspiration alluded to in today’s episode:

    Jeanna Kadlec: “Embrace the Cringe” and “No new stories”

    People’s Oracle, Dayna Lynn Nuckolls “Liberation is Collective Imagination”

    Thanks to Sophie Strand for “Compost Heap” and “Sexy Inventory” on Substack

    Liberation with Rev. angel Kyodo williams

    As always:----------------------------------

    Thankful for the musical inspiration for the theme song:

    Hadestown by Anais Mitchell, specifically “Our Lady of the Underground” and Orpheus’ Song

    “Hedwig’s Theme” by John Williams

    Shout out for the artistic assistance of:

    Matt Schubbe (Logo)

    Kevin Carlow (Music)
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    32 min
  • S5E8: 🌑♈️Writer’s Group Ch 8: Writing as Prophecy w/ Matt

    S5E8: 🌑♈️Writer’s Group Ch 8: Writing as Prophecy w/ Matt
    Apr 17 2026

    Note: This Writers Group episode is more of a diary entry documenting our creative process rather than a well-researched audio essay about a theme or an outlined interview. Transitions may feel jarring or confusing since the priority is consent and privacy over elements of our work.

    Much of this conversation was omitted to protect details of our writings in progress, but in this conversation we discussed writing as prophecy, life with EDS, how to work through Mercury Retrograde, how collapse brings clarity, and the power of collective imagination inherent in fanfic (as well as in pentagrams of human-dragon relationships.)

    (This conversation happened on November 25, 2025, between publishing S5E3 and Repairing Relational Rupture w/ Kevin)

    You can find Matt here and here

    Follow the podcast on Substack or Instagram!

    —---------------------------------------------

    Grateful for all the learning and inspiration alluded to in today’s episode:

    Jeanna Kadlec: “Embrace the Cringe” and “No new stories”

    People’s Oracle, Dayna Lynn Nuckolls “Liberation is Collective Imagination”

    Thanks to Sophie Strand for “Compost Heap” and “Sexy Inventory” on Substack

    Resources in the “Compost Heap”: Stranger than Fiction (2006 movie), Mistborn

    Liberation with Rev. angel Kyodo williams

    As always:----------------------------------

    Thankful for the musical inspiration for the theme song:

    Hadestown by Anais Mitchell, specifically “Our Lady of the Underground” and Orpheus’ Song

    “Hedwig’s Theme” by John Williams

    Shout out for the artistic assistance of:

    Matt Schubbe (Logo)

    Kevin Carlow (Music)
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    34 min