Mysteries, Graveyards and the Human Psyche: Recent Episodes
Mysteries, Graveyards and the Human Pysche
How do creative people find day jobs that allow them to be creative when they come home? You can't have a job that exhausts you mentally or even physically, otherwise you will never get to the real work. A couple weeks ago, Brian Whitney posted one of those Instagram prompts to his stories- this was a list of the many jobs he has taken in order to survive. These include job titles like: barista, sandwich artist, cashier, bin filler, and paraprofessional. In this episode we find out how Brian has been able to work and make space to be creative because in the interim, he has also been part of a few bands and has released a few albums of solo work. His current official titles are videographer, marketing assistant and box office associate. And you can hear his musical projects Wild Combo, and Harrison Sword on Spotify. This episode contains original music by Brian Whitney.
Join me in conversation with cofounder and CEO of the record label Nefarious Industries, Greg Meisenberg. For over a decade, Nefarious Industries has yielded nearly 100 releases by more than 50 artists from all over the world playing a dizzying array of styles. Greg tells us the story of creating his record label out of nothing, trying to connect with people in this day and age where it's hard to get anyone's attention, and the fun of being on tour while managing the company. Greg has been playing music for over 25 years. He talks to us about his musical origins and the roots that keep him going to this day.
Although Mayra writes fiction and Jon writes (and illustrates)comic books, both have a lot in common. Both are effortlessly original thinkers. Both are extremely good conversationalists. I knew that if I could get these two open-minded, witty freethinkers together, it would be an exhilarating experience for you too. Listen as they speak about how writers don't really enjoy writing, daydreaming, cave paintings, and the qualities of good storytelling.
Today I have the privilege of sharing this conversation between me and two of the chillest guys in the world, musicians Jerry Joseph and Leech Ernowetz. Yes, we are doing something a little different in this episode by asking past guests to return and have a conversation with each other. Jerry (Ep 1) and Lee (Ep 4) were gracious to come back to the podcast and explore topics like: -Art + isolation-The drive to keep going -The future of music + AII'm made richer by the conversation and I hope you will be too.
Join me in conversation with the mega-talented Karyn Crisis, an artist of all kinds and a truly disciplined multi-disciplinarian. Many will know her as the frontwoman of the groundbreaking hardcore band Crisis. Her current musical project is Gospel of the Witches. Karyn is also a painter and an author. She has written three books: Italy's Witches and Medicine Women; Italian Magic: Secret Lives of Women and her autobiography Warrior of Light: Stories of Life and Death. Karyn is a spiritual teacher, a guide into healing realms, a medium and an energy worker. She is the founder of the Golden Bough School. Her passion is for sharing knowledge that has been hidden. Visit her website at www.karyncrisisheals.com.
In this episode, we speak with Lee Chernowetz, an audio visual specialist and the community manager for the virtual reality DJ application TribeXR. He is also a teacher, a multi-instrumentalist, an Emmy award-winning producer and the composer of the music that I use in my podcast (unless the episode features the music of the guest.) Lee will talk about the concept of his "Failed Projects," his process when making music and what he calls the "magic trick" of music. He will also talk with us about the liminal space of virtual reality.
In episode three, we talk with Jonathan Rivera, comic book creator. His credits include: Jim Henson's Storyteller Series, Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye and Cave Carson Has An Interstellar Eye. Before working for DC Comics, Jon self-published indie comics and web comics. Jon is also a storyboard artist, a connoisseur of cinema and one of the most entertaining storytellers and funniest people you will ever meet. I don't usually describe someone as a raconteur but the word really fits this wonderful artist!
Today we are privileged to talk with one of the finest conversationalists I know, Mayra David. Like all of the great wits, Mayra is an ardent reader and a prolific writer. Her nonfiction work has been published on Domino, Brick Underground and the Brooklyn Rail. She obtained her MLitt in Creative Writing from the ancient University of Glasgow. Mayra herself is a liminal space- coming from three different cultures, knowing three different languages, and having grown up in three different countries. She is connected but she is also in-between. She is currently submitting her fiction work for publication and her mentors tell her she is right on the verge of having this work published but for now, she waits for the gatekeepers to invite her out of the holding box.
Welcome back! For episode 1 of season 2, we are privileged to have musician Jerry Joseph as a powerful first guest of the season!
Jerry will tell us his story, which is also the story of the music he has made throughout his life. Though when he picked up the guitar he was an angsty kid, music lead him to freedom and transcendence.
Jerry has been playing music (solo stuff and with bands) for almost 30 years now. He generously does a deep dive with us, and even reached back into his early recordings on cassette tapes to share samples of his earliest sonic waves!
What time is it? For eons, we have been trying to keep track of time. But the quality of time has been defined differently by different civilizations. It may be hard to understand but at some point, we shifted to a linear reckoning of time. Before that, we had a sense of time being "round." That is- we had the sense that we were a tiny part of a vast, recurring, seasonal, natural cycle. This week's guest is one of those magical people who can help us understand these cycles. Even if the last time that the event in question occurred hundreds of years before we were born! Sindy Schönherr is a certified astrologer and Venus Star Point practitioner. Using these cosmic tools she helps people understand their gifts and struggles. And these kids of understandings also help us find meaning in our lives. Sindy maintains a blog (https://livingincycles.blog/journal/) where she speaks of the geometrical movements of the planets as dances. She is particularly mesmerized by the patterns that Venus creates through her alignments with the Sun and the Earth, called the Rose of Venus. In this fashion, the nature of goddess Inanna spirituality was intimated to her. Sindy is a polyglot, offering readings in three languages- English, Finnish and German.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains mentions of violence against women.
In part 2 of our conversation, our honored guest Laura Shannon explains how the circle dance can help heal us from trauma. When we arrive at the dance, we show up as we are, with all of our weariness, our trauma. But through the dance, we are supported by the other dancers and bought back into a center of love that exists in the dance but also in ourselves.
Laura Shannon has been experiencing, teaching and learning sacred and circle dances for over 30 years- in fact she is considered one of the grandmothers of the sacred dance movement and is known worldwide for her pioneering approach to traditional women's dances as tools for healing and transformation.
Laura is one of the faculty members of the sacred dance department at the Findhorn Foundation and leads workshops in over 20 countries. She holds an honours degree in Intercultural Studies and a postgraduate diploma in Dance Movement Therapy. She was recently awarded a Master's degree in Myth, Cosmology, and the Sacred at Canterbury Christ Church University in England, where her M.A. dissertation on the esoteric wisdom of women's ritual dances was awarded a distinction. She is currently a PhD candidate of the University of Gloucester.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains mentions of violence against women.
It is an honor to have on the show my special guest Laura Shannon, author of the essay "Medusa and Athena: Ancient Allies in Healing Women’s Trauma." She has published widely and writes a regular blog on Feminism & Religion. She is one of the faculty members of the sacred dance department at the Findhorn Foundation. She leads workshops in over 20 countries. She holds an honours degree in Intercultural Studies and a postgraduate diploma in Dance Movement Therapy. She was recently awarded a Master's degree in Myth, Cosmology, and the Sacred at Canterbury Christ Church University in England, where her M.A. dissertation on the esoteric wisdom of women's ritual dances was awarded a distinction. She is currently a PhD candidate of the University of Gloucester.
In addition to being an author, Laura is considered one of the grandmothers of the worldwide Sacred/Circle Dance movement. She has been researching and teaching traditional women's dances for more than 30 years, especially in the traditional folk dance traditions of Greece, Armenia, the Balkans and the Romani people.
Laura sees these dances as an ancient mystery school, transmitting information encoded in symbols such as the circle, spiral, zigzag, crescent, and Tree of Life, with roots in the Neolithic civilizations of Old Europe which honored the Goddess.
Tonight we welcome the magical, the mystical Laetitia Barbier! In her stunning new book-Tarot and Divination Cards: A Visual Archive- Laetitia has formulated the Tarot in such a way that it can be communicated to others. And her gift of perception finds the keys to the Tarot in pop culture like "The Matrix," novelty playing cards that came with chocolate bars, and masterpieces of the Renaissance.
The book is a codex, a vivid iconography, drawing from rarely published and often forgotten archives- and the accompanying writing illuminates even the most inscrutable concepts of Western esotericism.
Laetitia has more than a good eye and a good heart: as a tarot reader, she understands a great deal about the ephemeral journey through this thing called life. Tune in for a fascinating conversation that is not to be forgotten.
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, this past Sunday was the spring or vernal equinox. When I thought about the word vernal, I thought about vernal pools, and when I thought about vernal pools, I thought about this episode's guest, Debbi Dolan.
Debbi is a nature enthusiast and guide residing in Riverdale, the tip of Manhattan. She has been leading nature walks in Van Cortlandt Park since 2014. Debbi is the Conservation Chair of the Hudson River Audobon Society and leads walks at the Lenoir Preserve as well. She got training in wildflowers as a docent for 10 years at Teatown Lake Reservation and Nature Preserve.
I have had the pleasure of going on Debbi's walks. Debbi took our group through the meadow, the forest, along the lake. And as we went along, she pointed out trees, wildflowers, birds, insects, and signs of the season. It felt like a veil was removed from my eyes: a kind of myopia was corrected. And I realized that it is one thing to love to be in the park, but another thing to learn to see a kind of life that is not immediately apparent to the naked eye. And when we know nature, we will be more likely to want to fight for nature. We will want to protect ecosystems that exist even in an urban environment, like Van Cortlandt Park.
A vernal pool is a seasonal wetland in a depression that has been covered by shallow water from winter to spring. Beneath the pool is bedrock or a hard clay layer that keeps the water in the pool. They can be as small as a puddle or as big as a shallow lake.
In this episode, Debbi tells us why vernal pools are so ecologically important not only to the plants, insects, amphibians, and birds but to we human mammals as well! So join us to find out how nature is awakening within the forest- inside and all around the vernal pools!
In this episode, star of stage and screen Allison Guinn tells us about the inspiration for her original show, "The Legacy of Daisy Dean"- her legendary Grandmother.
Like the Cinderella stories, Daisy Dean's early life was that of the orphan who must work her fingers to the bone for the little that she had.
But through those dark years, Daisy Dean had strength, and that strength was made manifest in the songs she sang, the stories she told- and the great dark sense of humor she had!
These same gifts passed down her family line and blessed her granddaughter Allison.
Allison Guinn can currently be seen on the new season of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" as the hilariously sexy Bunny- one of the burlesque dancers at the Wolford strip club.
Allison was in the Broadway revivals of "On the Town" and "Hair." She's also starred in "Hair" on the West End and played Madame Thenardier in the first national tour of "Les Miserables."
Her past TV credits include: "Boardwalk Empire," "Divorce," "Inside Amy Schumer," and "The Knick."
I am so honored to have this unassuming songbird, autoharpist and comedienne share her gifts with us, especially during this poignant time of Women's History month.
"The protocol is to leave something sweet for the fairies."
And Mary has left something sweet for us!
Welcome to Part 2 of Fairy Song, with our teacher of all things fairy, Dr. Mary McLaughlin. Mary is an eminent scholar (which you know if you have already listened to Part 1) as well as an internationally renowned musician (which you will have heard if you've already listened to Part 1!)
Mary has a vast discography that I highly recommend you seek out so that you can immerse yourself in total joy and wonderment. She has toured extensively all over the world, and on top of that, she obtained her PhD in Traditional Irish Song Studies.
In addition to teaching about Fairy Music, Mary also teaches classes on the Keen and Gaelic Christmas music. She recently taught about the Keen on the Shift Network, which is available to view on her website. Subscribe to her mailing list so that you can enroll in one of her courses because she usually has a waiting list! https://www.marymclaughlin.com/
Thank you, Mary, for sharing your gifts with us!
"Songs about fairy abduction rarely turn out well..." But why do the fairies abduct? What happens to these unlucky humans when they are whisked out of the human world? What makes someone susceptible? And how do they get back home again?
Here to answer our questions is the esteemed Dr. Mary McLaughlin, a singer, teacher and PhD in Irish Otherworld Song. She has released five albums to international acclaim and not only shares her divine music with us, but also the chilling backstory behind the song.
In Part 1 of 2, Dr. Mary McLaughlin will teach us not only how to understand the fairy world, she'll also be teaching us a fairy song! If you thought that "Rock-A-Bye, Baby" was a chilling lullaby, just wait til you hear the most sinister lullaby ever!
I hope you're ready for spooky tales from Scotland because my guest today is Frank Rafferty! He's a poet, voice actor, and he's leant his tremendous written skills to community causes and his spoken word has been featured on the BBC. Frank makes things happen- he's organized, promoted, financed, and performed at arts and literature events and in community development. He's a powerful voice everywhere he goes for his community and he's a very powerful voice when telling ghost stories. Hold on to your hats!Music Credits: Theme Song: February 5th by Lee Chernowetz Exit Music: Come My Lady by Lee Chernowetz
Foley artists on Freesound.org: wolfdoctor deleted_user_4772965 Spectre_of_Pain InspectorJ Breviceps Craigsmith
Dr. Michael E. Bell (author of Food for the Dead: On the Trail Of New England's Vampires) was Rhode Island's official folklorist when he became a vampire hunter- well, it's when he first began to hunt down stories of vampires! His research came from tales passed down in families among the generations, from old newspaper articles, from personal letters and medical writings by doctors practicing in the 18th and 19th centuries. The vampire "cure" was a mysterious "therapeutic ritual" done by the common people and the practice has been found to have taken place throughout New England.
The word vampire is a bit controversial, as no one ever involved in these cases referred to the dead as vampires.
Dr. Bell's research took him back to a time when consumption was ravaging entire families. Consumption, now known as pulmonary tuberculosis, is a frightening, wasting disease. It could lay dormant for years, and then suddenly begin to dwindle down the life force. It was no respecter of age, class or social position.
The cure often involved the exhumation of a corpse, because it was suspected that the deceased may be stealing the life force from family members still living, but suffering the effects of the consumption. Signs were looked for, such as fresh blood found int e vital organs. Sometimes the person's heart was removed and burned to ash, sometimes they were turned facedown in their coffin.
In an age much like our own, people turned to unorthodox methods to try and save their loved ones.
Dr. Michael E. Bell honors us with this conversation.
Music Credits: Theme Song: February 5th by Lee Chernowetz
The hero of my podcast is Heroy- Glen Heroy! Glen's rich professional life has lead him to take on many roles. As a clown, he makes us laugh. As a tribute artist, he brings us in close contact with the celebrities we'd love to meet. As a character actor, he helps the collective tell the story. As a musician, he makes us get up out of our seat. And as Santa, he brings magic to one and all. Yes, Glen has been Santa for almost 40 years! Even though he may not have the 10,000 hours that Malcolm Gladwell says would make him a virtuoso (because Santa comes but once a year), Glen is certainly sought after and highly respected. In fact, he teaches other Santas how to be Santa. Tonight, Mr. Heroy tells us about the work that he feels defined him as an adult- being a clown care specialist for children suffering from illness. He tells us how his ability to relax deeply into his character has served him well. Listen to Glen's deeply moving stories that show us exactly what he means when says that he would not know what to say in a tough situation- but Santa always does. Our conversation leads us into the archetype of the holy fool- someone with no inflated sense of self or superiority complex, someone who is happy to bring laughter to any person he meets along the way.
Music Credits: Theme Song: February 5th by Lee Chernowetz
Free Music Archives: Slow Jumper's Harp by 75 Dollar Bill Spring Morning by Maarten Schellekens Santa Claus is Coming to Town by John Bartmann
I know many of us are parted from our loved ones during this Christmas, so let me entertain you- especially if you prefer goosebumps to cheer!
I love to be in the company of librarians, historians and horror fans- the many people trying to revive the Victorian tradition of scary stories at Christmas. Therefore let me present to you the tale of: "The Weird Violin," written by anonymous in 1892!
I couldn't have done this episode without the music from WFMU'S Free Music Archive or the foley artists from freesound.org.
I wish you a Scary Christmas and a Happy New Year!
MUSIC:
-Theme song- "February 5th" by Lee Chernowetz
Music from the Free Music Archives: -Miriam Fried, violin and Jonathan Biss, piano: Music from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston Béla Bartók: Sonata No. 2 in C Major for violin & piano -Montserrat Alavedra, William McColl, Joseph Levine: Spohr - Sechs Deutsche Lieder - Sehnsucht by
Foley artists from freesound.org: shall555 temawas angel-perez alcappuccino gottlieb owl soundstack craigsmith pacofsanchez devilfish101 grasopt
Santa Claus is a myth that we bring to life every year during the holiday season. For over 30 years, Glen Heroy has been embodying the magic of Santa. And what a Santa! As someone who has listened to countless childrens' dreams, who better to speak to us about "the poetry of what Santa can be?" Glen is also a clown, a character actor and a celebrity impersonator. He plays the spoons, teaches clowning and how to be Santa and also sings with The Jazz Bastards. He is also a very important clown on staff at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
MUSIC:
Theme song- "February 5th" by Lee Chernowetz "Cool Yule" by The Jazz Bastards "Doubting Thomas" by East Agony
Free Music Archives: Santa Claus is Coming to Town by John Bartmann Slow Jumper's Harp by 75 Dollar Bill Swirling Snowflakes by Maarten Schellekens
Winter Solstice is coming, so get your pumpkins ready- huh? "A Pumpkin for Solstice" was conceived last year and is a short story about "doing things differently" during the pandemic when many of us were- and still are- parted from our loved ones during the holiday season. Children are welcome to listen to this episode as author Megan Callahan teaches us about the winter solstice and then reads us her book, "A Pumpkin for Solstice." Stick around after the reading for some soulful wisdom for grown-ups too.
Music credits from the Free Music Archives: Celtic Positive by Serge Quadrado Swirling Snowflakes by Maarten Schellekens Spring Morning by Maarten Schellekens Dawn by Maarten Schellekens Mallet Play by Maarten Schellekens Theme song and all other music by Lee Chernowetz
"A Pumpkin for Solstice" Team Written and Narrated by Megan Callahan Cover Art by Ashley Smith Visual Design by Aeyia Smith Back Cover by Gaitrie Subryan Edited by Tara Turse Book created with Canva Pro and shot on iPhone, copyright 2020
We continue the exploration into the Light and Darkness of Yule with Part 2: Sinterklaas! Jeanne Fleming, the artistic visionary and creator of Sinterklaas, tells us about the origins of Sinterklaas as well as some of the fascinating and special insights that she has gleaned from 30+ years of creating collective effervescence. Music credits from the Free Music Archives: Happy Holidays by Bortexx Christmas Hymns by Francis J. Lapitino Alorange by Sevilla Street Brass Band Theme song and all other music by Lee Chernowetz
Awesome, fun and occasionally terrifying is Krampus Asbury Park! In it's 7th year, it continues to draw many festive folks, seeking fun from far and wide! I count myself privileged and made all the wiser to have been able to converse with the creator of Krampus Asbury Park- the wonderful, creative, stupendous Kathy Kelly! Kathy Kelly is the owner of Paranormal Books & Curiosities, as well as an academic and historian. A great number of people enjoy her museum of haunted objects and -of course- the many fun events at Krampus Asbury Park. It kicks off on Friday 12/3/21 with the Film Festival, and there are events all day on Saturday 12/4/21.
Music credits from the Free Music Archive: Carol of the Bells by Live Action Fezz We Three Kings by R. Tists for Christmas Toyland by Mystery Mammal Theme song and all other music by Lee Chernowetz
In this week's episode, husband and wife Anthony and Celeste set out for a pleasant October stroll in the Green-Wood Cemetery... and found themselves in a time-slip! As they walked through places that were previously familiar to them, they became disoriented, night came on suddenly, birds looked more like animated shapes, and they found themselves asking directions from a man from a different era! It may seem strange to modern sensibilities to take a stroll through a cemetery but cemeteries that began in the 19th century were supposed to be places for enjoyment. To relate this origin story, we are pleased to have cemetery tour guide Lindsay Gara tell us all about the rural cemetery movement.
Our wonderful guest- maker, researcher and good auntie- Karen Frazer tells us about the damage done to the headstone of Katrina Van Tassel and suggests some alternatives to making grave-rubbings. She'll also tell us how she solved a mystery- the lost graves of Italian immigrants who died in a railroad accident in 1891.
See her photography Tumblr here: https://sleepyhollowcemetery.tumblr.com/page/3
Photo courtesy of Karen Frazer Music by Lee Chernowetz
In this episode, the eminent Dalton Whiteside enlightens us about the history of the grotesque graveyard at City College.
Featuring classical music by Kevin MacLeod and theme song by Lee Chernowetz
Happy Halloween from Melissa Bee, host of Mysteries, Graveyards and the Human Psyche Story by the Brothers Grimm Performed by David Dartley Music by Lee Chernowetz
In this second episode of Mysteries, Graveyards and the Human Psyche, Anthony Picco tells us of his encounter with a ghost in London.
This episode your host Melissa Bee speaks about the surprising paranormal experience that she experienced on vacation in August 2021. Experiencing paranormal activity in real life is not the way that it's pictured in Hollywood, not the way it is on TV.