Love & Light Confessionals

Two woo-sphere hallmarks and the antics that come with them Resources mentioned: The Yoga is Dead Podcast, Susanna Barkataki, @abcdyogi

While 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?

Cults 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...

With 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 elemen...

Why 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/guruskilledyoga

Why 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...

Last 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...

Is 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...

How 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.

Believe 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...

The 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 coincid...

This 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 Amato

Very 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.confessional

Illegal 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.