Ep. 120 Ancient Wisdom for Modern Bodies: Josh Schrei of The Emerald
LaidOPEN Podcast
What if your trauma isn't something to extract, but something that has shaped you the way weather shapes an ancient tree? In this episode I sit down with Josh Schrei, creator and host of the beloved Emerald Podcast, for one of the most expansive and nourishing conversations I've had on this show. Josh brings the wisdom of animist and mythic traditions to the very modern problem of living in a fractured, overstimulated world, and what emerges is a roadmap for healing that goes far beyond talk therapy. We explore why ritual is actually trauma work, how the cycles of nature are mirrored inside...
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Ep. 119 The Pattern You Can’t Break Might Be Part Of Your Soul Contract with Gellyahnah
LaidOPEN Podcast
Ever feel stuck in the same patterns no matter what you try? You might be living out a soul contract. In this episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, Charna sits down with Gellyahnah, a channel for divine wisdom and spiritual guidance, to uncover how your karmic and spiritual blueprint might be shaping your life, and how to break free. What you’ll discover in this episode: The difference between soul and spirit What a soul contract really is How your birth name rules impact your path The origins of sound frequency and energy healing How karmic patterns show up in your body and relationships Tools for...
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Ep. 118 Everybody’s A Little Bit Psychic: Developing Psi Ability Using Social RV App with Chase McCarty
LaidOPEN Podcast
If you've ever wondered if anyone can really develop their psychic abilities? This episode is for you. I sit down with Chase McCarty, the creator of Social RV, an app that gamifies remote viewing, intuition, and all the weird little psychic skills you didn’t think you could train. We talk about psi abilities like remote viewing and intuitive perception. Chase shares how he went from a skeptic to someone who built a digital space to help people train their intuition and perceptual capacities in a structured, measurable, and safe way. We talk about what psi really means, not as...
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Ep 117 Spiritual Resilience for Uncertain Times featuring Gabrielle Felder
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this episode of LaidOPEN, I’m joined by Gabrielle Felder, author of . We talk about returning to spiritual lineage, writing about Ifá as a living oral tradition, and what it meant for Gabrielle to publish this work after being raised Baptist. She shares how being on ancestral land in the American South changed her relationship to history and belonging. We explore Oshun and Obatala, gender expansiveness in Yoruba cosmology, burnout and joyful militancy, and how to remain spiritually grounded in times of cultural instability. LaidOPEN offers intimate conversations at the intersection of...
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Ep. 116 Mayan Astrology, Cacao, and the Relief of Finally Understanding Yourself with Christine Olivia Hernandez
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, I sit down with Mayan astrologer, cacao ceremonialist, and author Christine Olivia Hernandez to talk about ritual, gratitude, discernment, and how to live in alignment with your natural rhythm. Christine shares how Mayan astrology and the Sacred Calendar can help you understand who you are and how your energy is meant to move, rather than forcing yourself into systems that lead to burnout and self doubt. We explore gratitude as an embodied, devotional practice, not a bypass, and how daily ritual can support nervous system regulation during uncertain times....
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Ep. 115 The Alchemy of Collapse and Using It as a Gateway to Awakening with Taylor Perkins
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this episode of the LaidOPEN Podcast, host Charna Cassell sits down with content creator Taylor Perkins, better known on social media as Cult Daddy, for a deep conversation about spirituality, embodiment, trauma, and reclaiming personal truth after high control religion. Taylor shares his journey growing up Mormon, achieving financial success, losing everything, and experiencing a profound spiritual awakening that reshaped how he understands consciousness, meaning, and self expression. Together they explore psychedelics as one possible tool for unlearning indoctrination while emphasizing...
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Ep. 114 You’re Manifesting Wrong and Colette Baron-Reid Knows How to Fix It
LaidOPEN Podcast
Manifesting isn’t about wanting harder, visualizing longer, or thinking positively enough. In this episode of the LaidOPEN Podcast, Charna Cassell sits down with master manifestor, psychic medium, and intuitive to unpack why so many people feel stuck despite “doing all the right things” and what actually creates change. Colette shares her unconventional approach to manifestation through meditative drawing, a practice designed to retrain the brain, regulate the nervous system, and bring the body into alignment with what you’re calling in. Together, they explore the science behind...
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Ep. 113 Solving Crimes Using Psi Ability with Former Psychic Detective Elizabeth Rea
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this episode of the LaidOPEN Podcast, host Charna Cassell sits down with , an evidentiary clairvoyant psychic medium and former psychic detective whose work has evolved from solving cold murder cases with federal agents to advising high-net-worth founders and investors behind the scenes. Elizabeth shares how a near-death experience at sixteen cracked open her psychic perception, setting her on a path shaped by trauma, intuition, and non-conventional intelligence. Together, Charna and Elizabeth explore different forms of psy ability, how trauma can act as a doorway to spiritual awakening,...
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Ep. 112 The Heart Opening Reality of Kundalini Practice with Amanbir
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, I open up about my own deepening journey with Kundalini Yoga and sit with one of the teachers who has guided so much of that unfolding. is a Kundalini Yoga teacher and trainer who has spent more than two years empowering and training thousands of students across the planet. His teaching blends traditional Kundalini lineage, Chinese medicine, astrology, and nervous system intelligence in a way that cuts through noise and brings you right into the truth of your own experience. We explore what Kundalini practice actually feels like inside a real human body...
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Ep. 111 The Body Keeps the Score but the Church Keeps the Secrets with Margaret Bronson
LaidOPEN Podcast
Join host Charna Cassell for a raw and eye opening conversation with Margaret Bronson, founder of Deconstruction Doulas. Margaret grew up inside a high control Christian cult and survived domestic violence, child abuse, excommunication, and the long psychological fallout of authoritarian religion. Now she guides others through the same dismantling of belief systems that once owned them. In this episode, Margaret unpacks how she and her husband developed somatic practices to help survivors heal the trauma stored in the body after years of purity culture, spiritual coercion, and obedience...
info_outlineThis week I want to acknowledge the wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles, which also happens to be home to this week’s guest, actress, drag king and comedian, Ruby Marez.
Ruby shares her incredible journey of using humor and play to heal trauma. She opens up about her clowning and drag king persona Ramón. We talk about how embodying this alter ego has transformed her life and inspired a stage show built to entertain and educate. She also opens up about the ways she uses this alter ego to address trauma, self-judgment, and emotional healing in her personal life as well.
Ruby also discusses nervous system regulation techniques and offers supportive advice for those feeling stressed or dysregulated, especially about the wildfires. The episode also touches on Ruby's community initiatives and workshops aimed at educating people on wellness and housing rights.
Ruby also introduces practical exercises for nervous system regulation—perfect for anyone feeling the weight of the world right now. Tune in for an episode that's as enlightening as it is entertaining.
Show Notes
00:00 Introduction and Guest Background
01:05 Trigger Warnings and Coping Strategies
02:37 Interview with Ruby Marez Begins
02:59 Experiencing the Fires in Los Angeles
05:09 Navigating Trauma and Nervous System Regulation
07:01 Personal Stories of Displacement and Resilience
16:27 Creating Art from Adversity
18:42 Developing the Ramón Character
19:23 Spiritual Cheerleading 101
25:50 Therapeutic Insights and Audience Engagement
28:47 Embracing Emotions: The Key to Joy and Peace
29:00 Connecting with Diverse Audiences
29:30 The Universal Need for Emotional Education
30:34 College Students and Emotional Awareness
31:53 The Power of Performance and Presence
32:23 Overcoming Stage Anxiety
32:55 The Role of Somatic Practices in Healing
34:24 Acting and Auditioning: A Journey of Self-Acceptance
35:13 Understanding Rejection in the Acting World
36:06 The Importance of Self-Compassion
38:43 Creating a Supportive Inner Voice
41:14 The Therapeutic Power of Alter Egos
47:58 Practical Exercises for Self-Kindness
53:02 Conclusion and Final Thoughts