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The Other Side of Things

The Other Side of Things

By: Michael Brant DeMaria Ph.D.
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 No one knows everything, but everyone knows something no one else knows. In this time of crisis and chaos in culture and nature there is a dire need for honoring all sides of things. We have lost the art of nuance and subtlety. On The Other Side of Things Michael will take you on a deep AND accessible way of looking at yourself, others and the world so you can find a lucid sanity grounded in deep mystery. We will be exploring taboo topics around love, sex, death and madness. You can always check out his Musitations podcast for creativity as a healing, meditative modality as well.©Michael Brant DeMaria 2023 Art
Episodes
  • The Other Side of Things (E12) Jung and Shamanism with C. Michael Smith, Ph.D.

    The Other Side of Things (E12) Jung and Shamanism with C. Michael Smith, Ph.D.
    Jul 24 2025
    00:00 Introduction01:15 Who is C. Michael Smith?04:59 What is the Dialogic Method for Jung and Shamanism in Michael's work.08:23 The ancient history behind understanding the world of Spirit09:00 Jung's description of an archetypal possession and the need for exorcism12:39 How Michael was drawn to this deep work of Jung and Shamanism 14:02 Jung's Memories, Dreams and Reflections and Mircea Eliade's work on Shamanism15:14 Michael's person connection to the Spirit World/Collective Unconscious16:28 Michael's encounter with the Numinous 17:04 Michael's Jungian Analyst told him he needed to find a shamanic teacher18:18 His vision quest and finding his Daemon/Guardian Spirit and Guide20:30 His first work with serious mental illness/archetypal possession21:43 Shamanism as an archaic Depth Psychology 22:30 Jung, "If I knew about Shamanism I wouldn't have spent so much time with alchemy."25:30 Core Analysis and Psycho Shamanism in Michael's work.26:12 The Psyche is a porous open system - connected to all reality which is a blessing and curse.27:23 How to stay curious, compassionate, and open to these psychic numinous realities/entities.28:30 The power of relationship, music, presence, symbol, chant, colorful ceremony in this work.30:06 Michael's work with exorcism with severe cases, which he uses very rarely.33:45 When Michael works with Severe Mental Illness uses greater family and psychiatric support.35:00 Example of someone who was archetypally possessed and how he did an exorcism.40:17 How do we help people shamanically swim in these waters instead of psychotically drowning.41:30 "I'm in the business of working with the impossible, what other people say can't be healed."42:30 One particularly powerful case of healing deep trauma through multiple de-possessions. 43:36 Dealing with deep ancestral trauma inter-generationally. 45:16 In Internal Family Systems you can have a Legacy Burden and Unattached Burden. 47:09 Michael's take on Post-Modern Shamanism vs. Traditional Shamanism.50:13 Michael's take on being a reconstructive Post-Modernist.51:48 Michael's powerful use of shamanic work with a cancer patient.56:19 Consciousness is fundamental as a shift from our tradition of materialistic reductionism.58:52 Post-modern shamanism is updating itself with the newest findings in neuroscience and physics.1:01:00 An N of 1 matters.1:02:00 Advaita Vedanta and letting go of any attachment to any objects.1:03:00 Our Avatar Bodies...1:04:27 Eternity is in love with the productions of time.1:06:00 Michael's sharing of Jung's story of the woman who lived on the moon and how he see's his own work with the defenses of the psyche. 1:09:39 A shamanic correction to Jung's work - the extra step of ceremony - soul retrieval - inviting in what was giving up - not just extraction/de-possession/exorcism, but also welcoming back the essence of what was displaced. 1:11:00 Your defense system is like a psychic immune system - those young parts of us. 1:13:00 The being of the shamanic healer must live and respond from your open center. 1:14:30 The center ultimately IS the heart. 1:17:00 Jung was also a phenomenologist - and his sense of the divine was numinous.1:20:00 The most powerful place to stand and for protection and healing is the heart...In this profound episode, I sit down with clinical psychologist, medical anthropologist, and author C. Michael Smith, a world-renowned expert in Jungian psychology and shamanic healing. Together, we explore the fertile intersection of Jung’s depth psychology and indigenous shamanic traditions — both of which view healing as a soul-centered, symbolic, and relational process.We dive into:✨ How Jung's concept of the wounded healer echoes the shamanic initiation✨ The parallels between soul retrieval and Jungian individuation✨ The role of altered states, dreams, and active imagination in accessing inner wisdom✨ The sacred importance of ritual, symbol, and myth in both systems✨ How trauma, possession, and spiritual crisis are addressed in traditional vs. modern cultures✨ And why reconnecting with the soul — personally and culturally — is more vital than everC. Michael Smith brings a rare integration of scholarship and lived experience. His seminal book Jung and Shamanism in Dialogue has influenced therapists, healers, and seekers worldwide.This is a rich, timely conversation for anyone called to the deeper healing path, whether through psychotherapy, ceremony, or inner exploration.Michael's book on Jung and Shamanism: https://www.amazon.com/Jung-Shamanism-Dialogue-Retrieving-Sacred-ebook/dp/B00I4GL9OI Michael's website:https://crowsnestshamanism.com/blog/Michael DeMaria's website: https://michaeldemaria.com/#JungAndShamanism #CMichaelSmith #TheOtherSideOfThings #SoulHealing #WoundedHealer #DepthPsychology #ShamanicHealing
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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • The Other Side of Things (E11) Bipolar Awakenings with Sean Blackwell

    The Other Side of Things (E11) Bipolar Awakenings with Sean Blackwell
    Mar 26 2025

    00:37 Introduction
    01:39 Who is Sean Blackwell?
    03:59 Our mutual connection to Holotropic Breathwork.
    05:32 Sean's Bipolar Episode and Hospitalization.
    07:22 Working with his partner's nieces psychotic episodes.
    07:57 Dr. John Weir Perry and Dr. Loren Moser's influence on Sean.
    09:38 Sean has done 60-70 retreat with people around the world.
    13:16 The overlap of spirituality and psychosis in Sean's work.
    13:40 Two camps: Peer Support vs. Transpersonal psychology
    16:31 Grof's the Stormy Search for the Self
    17:21 The 13 basic delusions people experience
    17:46 When flip into paranoia no healing can happen!
    18:35 The blissful psychosis vs. the Paranoid psychosis
    21:35 Trauma and psychosis
    22:06. Healing the chakra's somatically
    23:08 What's truly healing is the healing field!
    24:35 Sean's discovery of surrogate breathwork.
    32:34 Dealing with intense shadow energies - even what feels like feels demonic
    36:34 Sean's discovery of distance healing through his work with Family Constellation Therapy
    43:21 Sean's current understanding of The Healing Field.
    50:27 Tribal Shamanism, New Age Shamanism vs Quantum Shamanism
    56:34 A name for every name in the river, but not the river itself.
    59:23 Developing an Integral Consciousness
    1:01:23 Accessing the quantum dimension.
    1:02:31 The most powerful protection.
    1:07:36 Sean's understanding of soul.
    1:11:00 Sean's frustration with how little people understand the work he does.
    1:16:00 How to find Sean's work.

    Since 2007 Sean Blackwell has been researching and teaching about the spiritual dimension and healing potential of bipolar disorder through his YouTube channel, bipolarORwakingUP. His videos graphically illustrate subjects such as spiritual emergency, transpersonal psychology, and the evolution of consciousness, always demonstrating how these themes relate to transcending the bipolar condition. His book, “Am I Bipolar or Waking Up?”, published in 2011, describes his own bipolar awakening, subsequent hospitalization, and complete recovery, which happened in 1996.

    In 2013, Sean started The Bipolar Awakenings Healing Retreat, a pioneering program for people who wanted to heal from their so-called incurable condition. In September of 2016, Sean received his certification as a Holotropic Breathwork facilitator with Grof Transpersonal Training, the official training program of Dr. Stanislav Grof. This education has been fundamental to the development of the healing retreat process, as a modified form of Holotropic Breathwork, Bipolar Breathwork, provides the basis for the bioenergetic healing process which takes place during retreats.

    Based on his experience facilitating private retreats, Sean developed two new online healing modalities. In 2020, he launched Distance Surrogate Breathwork and Conscious Emotional Clearing, as two very affordable options that could help people begin to heal their bipolar conditions safely, within the comfort of their own home.

    Sean's website and link to his new book: https://www.bipolarawakenings.com/
    Michael's Website: https://michaeldemaria.com/
    Michael's Links: https://michaeldemaria.com/michaels-links/
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • The Other Side of Things (E10) The Aquarian Shaman with Linda Star Wolf #breathwork #healing #shaman

    The Other Side of Things (E10) The Aquarian Shaman with Linda Star Wolf #breathwork #healing #shaman
    Feb 15 2025

    00:00 Introduction
    01:04 Who is Linda Star Wolf, Ph.D.
    03:35 Star Wolf gives us a beautiful opening blessing
    06:57 History of Michael and Star's relationship
    11:50 The Spiral Path - the transformational process that requires change!
    15:30 The origin of the word Shaman and it's true meaning as Shamaning...
    19:16 Trusting when things need to end...
    20:42 We all need the right amount of heartbreak.
    23:00 My grandmothers who have helped me.
    26:13 Shamanism and Breakdown/Breakthroughs
    30:00 Growing up in the woods and forest as an only child.
    32:57 Growing up highly sensitive.
    35:48 Breathwork, breakdowns and breakthroughs and precautions
    42:00 Shadow work, shamanic deaths and rebirths
    45:36 The blessings of soul friends - who help us embrace our weirdness - that is our uniqueness!
    48:14 Weird originally meant, 'having a foot in both worlds.'
    50:30 Authenticity and embracing the shadow
    55:13 The collective shadow and the pain of being demonized and shamed can drive you crazy
    58:00 Let's be clear we LIVE on a Shamanic Planet - we've already had huge extinction events!
    1:00:00 This is an Earth School
    1:05:00 The AI I'm interested in is Authentic Intelligence - NOT artificial intelligence.
    1:10:00 Here to get a doctorate degree in the Universe - according to grandmother Twyla.

    I’m truly honored to welcome a dear friend and longtime collaborator to the show today—Dr. Linda Star Wolf. Star Wolf and I have shared a deep connection for decades, working together on projects rooted in transformation, healing, and the sacred path of shamanic wisdom. As a shamanic breathwork facilitator myself, I’ve been profoundly influenced by her teachings and the visionary work she has brought to the world.

    Today, we’ll be diving into her latest book, The Aquarian Shaman, exploring the evolution of shamanic consciousness in these changing times. From breathwork to shadow work, the endless spiral path of the soul and the wisdom of our teachers and elders, we’ll journey into what it means to truly follow our hearts and the path of our souls!

    Get comfortable, take a deep breath, and join us on this soul-centered conversation with the incredible Linda Star Wolf.

    Linda Star Wolf, Ph.D., has been a shamanic visionary teacher and guide to thousands of people over the last four decades. Star Wolf was a nationally certified alcohol and drug counselor for 30+ years. She studied a variety of breathwork techniques with many teachers. Star Wolf draws much of her wisdom from personal experience of using breath to fortify connection to one’s own life force energy.

    The author of 13 books, Star Wolf is the creator of Shamanic Breathwork®, the Shamanic Healing Initiatory Process® (S.H.I.P.), the Founder of Venus Rising Association for Transformation (a non-profit organization), and Founding President of Venus Rising University for Shamanic Psychospiritual Studies. Star Wolf is also co-founder of the Shamanic Mystery Tours and guides spiritual seekers to travel as emissaries to sacred shamanic sites worldwide.

    Dedicating her life to assisting soul seekers to transform and embrace their lives, Star Wolf teaches how to embody the shaman within and step into a life of passionate, soul purpose. Her commitment to sacred activism and visionary leadership led her to create the Shamanic Ministers Global Network and train Shamanic Breathwork Facilitators around the world.

    Star Wolf has a deep connection to shamanic earth wisdom teachings originating from Indigenous elders. Twylah Nitsch, beloved Seneca Wolf Clan Grandmother, gave her the spirit name Star Wolf and adopted her as a Spiritual Granddaughter.

    Website: https://www.shamanicbreathwork.org/
    Michael's Website: https://michaeldemaria.com/
    Order book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Aquarian-Shaman-Walking-Spiral-Transformation/dp/1591435145
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    1 hr and 22 mins

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