SassafrasCast Episode 30: What if it's all in my head?

In today's episode I talk about balancing skepticism and spirituality. Many of us take an agnostic or skeptical view around what is really happening with spiritual/paranormal/supernatural phenomena, and yet feel drawn to magical practices. How do we reconcile this? I share my personal point of view that we don't have to reconcile it at all unless we want to -- we can opt to view belief as a tool, and use ritual and magic to have a meaningful psychological experience with measurable benefits on our health and happiness. There is evidence that ritual interacts with the subconscious mind, and there is also evidence that the subconscious mind drives a LOT of our behavior. In my opinion, it's worth taking an opportunity to interact with our subconscious in ways that is meaningful to us -- regardless of whether anything supernatural is actually happening. What do you believe around this topic?

 

Further down in the show notes, I share links to peer-reviewed scientific studies around the measurable health effects of meditation and prayer, the effects that the subconscious has on our decision making, and the efficacy of certain essential oils to treat a variety of symptoms. I also share a sane list of essential oil safety tips -- because irresponsible MLM marketers on social media often advocate for types of essential oil use that are neither safe nor evidence-based. (Especially ingestion. You absolutely never have to ingest an essential oil, ever. That's not how aromatherapy works.)

 

This episode was recorded live with a (virtual) studio audience - thanks for tuning in, Sassafras Patrons! Sign up and claim this and other perks at patreon.com/sassafrastarot.

 

Links to stuff mentioned in this show:

Prayer and healing: A medical and scientific perspective on randomized controlled trials

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802370/

 

Prayer as medicine: how much have we learned?:

https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2007/186/10/prayer-medicine-how-much-have-we-learned

 

"Decision Making May Be a Surprisingly Unconscious Activity" https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414145705.htm

 

Johns Hopkins Medicine: Do Essential Oils Really Work?

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/aromatherapy-do-essential-oils-really-work

 

Essential Oil Safety Tips: (please read this article before just trying stuff suggested by Pinterest or someone selling for an MLM company!)

https://www.aromaweb.com/articles/safety.asp

 

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Official Video for the theme song, Magick Comin': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIluF4mjQS0

Link to the track for download or purchase: https://roriekelly.bandcamp.com/track/magick-comin

(You can also find it on your favorite streaming site by searching "Rorie Kelly Magick Comin")