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In this episode, Emily explores anger not as something to transcend or eliminate, but as a powerful catalyst for necessary change. Drawing on neuroscience, Buddhist wisdom, and real client experiences, she breaks down the critical difference between repressed anger (when we don't even know we're angry) and suppressed anger (when we consciously push it down)—and why so many of us never learned to recognize this emotion in the first place.

Emily shares how buried anger manifests through our bodies (migraines, digestive issues, chronic pain), our minds (depression, numbness, exhaustion), and our relationships (passive-aggression, misplaced reactivity). She debunks the myth of "venting" and rage rooms, revealing what actually works: mindfulness practices that lower physiological arousal while honoring anger's wisdom.

Most importantly, she reframes anger as sacred information—a teacher showing us where boundaries have been crossed, what we value, and what needs to change. From collective rage about injustice to personal anger about being dismissed or taken for granted, Emily offers practical tools including the Three Rs framework, somatic practices, and a step-by-step anger processing guide. This is about developing a mature, conscious relationship with one of our most powerful emotions and learning to channel its fire toward meaningful transformation.

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My birthday falls on Imbolc, and it was my Catholic-raised mother who first told me about the goddess Brigid and this sacred turning point in the wheel of the year. In this episode, I explore why Imbolc was a matter of survival for Celtic peoples, the fascinating transition of Brigid from goddess to saint, and what the perpetual flame that burned for over 1,000 years teaches us about tending our inner fire.

We cover the historical and spiritual significance of this fire festival, Brigid's triple aspects as goddess of poetry, healing, and smithcraft, the remarkable continuity between pagan and Christian traditions, and what it means to tend the flame within. I also share my new poem "Tending the Flame" about the thousand small acts it takes to keep your fire burning for a lifetime.

Whether you connect with Brigid as goddess, saint, or both, this threshold time invites us to ask: What's awakening within me? And how do I tend the flame that lights my way forward?

Topics covered:

• The etymology and meaning of Imbolc
• Why this festival mattered for Celtic survival
• The goddess Brigid in Irish mythology
• St. Brigid of Kildare and Catholic hagiography
• The perpetual flame and sacred syncretism
• Tending your inner fire through Brigid's three aspects
• Poetry: "Tending the Flame"

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A man learns to see without eyes—and discovers that vision without intention is just another way to feel empty. We use Henry Sugar’s whimsical, razor-sharp journey to talk about what actually makes intuition reliable: disciplined practice, honest motives, and the slow work of integration. From the candle-flame technique to the crash of post-achievement emptiness, we trace how unhealed parts can hijack even the most impressive gifts, and why clarity begins when we name our why.

As mediums and healers, we know technique is simple but not easy. Focus can be trained; motives must be tended. We unpack how shadow, trauma, and perfectionism distort readings and life choices, and how community, boundaries, and mentorship help clear the signal. The real turn comes when power meets purpose. Henry’s shift from casinos to quiet service shows what alignment looks like in practice: the same ability, held by a different heart, becomes medicine for the world.

You’ll leave with practical questions to test your clarity—What am I not seeing? Which unintegrated parts filter my perception? How can I align my gifts with my highest purpose?—plus resources on essentials, limiting beliefs, and boundaries from the Blooming Wand blog. Press play for a thoughtful, story-driven exploration of intuition, healing, and the kind of vision that actually changes lives. If the conversation resonates, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show.

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Step into the quiet edge of the solstice with us as we sink into two haunting carols that reward slow listening: the medieval Corpus Christi Carol and Christina Rossetti’s In the Bleak Midwinter. What begins as cozy music for a dark evening opens into a layered meditation on wounds that do not close, love that does not boast, and the way paradox can hold more truth than tidy answers.

We start with the falcon, the orchard brown, and a knight who bleeds without end. From Eucharistic symbolism and the Easter Sepulchre to the Fisher King’s unhealed body and a land gone waste, we explore how this carol binds sacred ritual, mythic quest, and even Tudor politics into a single vigil. Benjamin Britten’s pairing and Jeff Buckley’s stark rendition show why the piece keeps returning: it asks us to keep watch, to ask better questions, and to honor pain we cannot fix.

Then we turn to Rossetti and Holst, where earth stands hard as iron and water like stone. Placing the Nativity in a frozen landscape is no mistake; it makes divine vulnerability immediate. Angels crowd the rafters, yet the scene narrows to a mother’s kiss and a simple, disarming answer to the question of what we can give: our hearts. No grandeur needed—just presence, attention, and the courage to remain open when life is cold and complex.

Along the way, we share journal prompts for mystery, sacred wounds, paradox, witnessing, and waiting—practical ways to let these songs work on you. If you’re craving a reflective pause, a thread through history, and a way to feel the sacred in ordinary moments, this conversation will meet you where you are. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves winter music, and leave a review telling us which lyric you’ll carry into the dark season.

The Corpus Christi Carol

Some YouTube Links to Have A Listen:

• Benjamin Britten – Corpus Christi Carol
• Jeff Buckley – Corpus Christi Carol

In the Bleak Midwinter

Some YouTube Links to Have A Listen:

• In the Bleak Midwinter – Gustov Holst
• In the Bleak Midwinter – Jamie Cullum

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Hypervigilance and dissociation—often developed as survival responses to childhood trauma—can be transformed into powerful tools for mediumship and spiritual service when approached with proper training and psychological support.

Drawing on Jungian psychology, contemporary neuroscience, and anthropological research, this exploration reveals how trauma-based perceptual abilities have measurable neurological foundations. Studies from the Windbridge Research Center, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk's trauma research, and anthropologist Rebecca Seligman's work on Brazilian spirit possession demonstrate that what Western medicine may pathologize can become a source of healing and meaningful service within supportive frameworks.

The key is conscious development: combining trauma therapy, somatic practices, boundary work, and grounding techniques to transform automatic survival responses into intentional spiritual abilities. This isn't spiritual bypassing—it's the integration of deep healing with conscious perceptual development, turning our deepest wounds into our greatest sources of strength.

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In this episode I weigh personal signs and evidential readings against cognitive science, asking how much is guidance and how much is bias.

I share specific stories, practical discernment tools, and a stance that welcomes both wonder and rigor without sacrificing either.

• critique of Tara Swart’s “new science” claims and gaps
• overview of essentialism, dualism, and the hard problem
• how cognitive biases shape pattern recognition and meaning
• why evidential mediumship demands specifics and verification
• stories of pennies, eagles, roses, tarot, and a jay
• practices for balancing intuition with skepticism
• reflection questions to test beliefs and sharpen discernment

Send your sign stories to: emily@bloomingwand.com or visit bloomingwand.com to share with the community

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The year turns, the nights lengthen, and a quiet invitation rises: make room for the ones who shaped you. We lean into Samhain as a living practice of memory, building a simple ancestral altar, speaking a heartfelt blessing, and exploring how candles, food, and storytelling become bridges between worlds. Rather than casting the season as grim, we highlight cross‑cultural traditions like Día de los Muertos that celebrate joyful remembrance and teach us to greet the unseen with warmth and respect.

With gentle honesty, we talk about boundaries in ancestral work—how to invite the healed and wise ones while protecting your heart—and why remembrance is strongest when it’s simple, personal, and true. You’ll get step-by-step guidance for creating an altar with photos or handwritten names, seasonal offerings like pomegranates and autumn leaves, and a place at the table for a presence you can feel. We share a spoken blessing you can read aloud on Samhain night, then invite you to say their names, tell a story, and leave a small offering that honors ongoing love.

We also bring tarot into the mix with a focused ritual using the court cards to connect with unknown ancestors. Learn how a single card—the healer, the adventurer, the builder—can illuminate lineage gifts and reveal practical guidance for your path. Reflection prompts help you journal, notice signs in dreams, and anchor insights into daily life. Along the way, we challenge the fear of aging and death by reclaiming them as part of belonging, reminding ourselves that love doesn’t end, it transforms.

Light a candle, create a quiet corner, and try the ritual with us. When you’re done, share the card you pulled and what you felt—we’re building a community of remembrance. If this spoke to you, follow the show, leave a review, and send it to someone who’s ready to honor their beloved dead.

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Boundaries are the cornerstone of authentic self-care, yet many of us struggle to understand what they truly are and how to implement them effectively. Drawing from five years of readings, mentorship sessions, and moon-centered insights, this episode dives into why boundaries matter for your spiritual growth and everyday wellbeing.

The transformative definition from Prentice Hemphill frames boundaries as "the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously"—revealing them as acts of love rather than barriers. We explore common misconceptions, like the belief that people-pleasing is selfless when it's actually a controlling behavior that prevents authentic connection. Through practical examples and clear signals (feeling drained after interactions, saying yes when wanting to say no, carrying others' emotional weight), you'll learn to recognize when boundary work is calling to you.

The real breakthrough comes in understanding that boundary-setting isn't about finding perfect words in difficult moments but developing a skill you can practice beforehand. Using frameworks inspired by Nedra Glover Tawab's "Set Boundaries, Find Peace," we walk through how to prepare for boundary conversations, anticipate emotional reactions, and maintain your stance when faced with inevitable pushback. For those connecting with symbolic imagery, we examine how tarot cards like the Six of Pentacles, Seven of Wands, and Justice reflect different aspects of boundary work.

Start your boundary practice with small, manageable steps—perhaps not checking work emails after hours or asking for time before making decisions. Download our free worksheet to begin mapping your boundary scenarios and prepare language that honors both your needs and your relationships. Remember, boundaries aren't about building walls but creating the space where authentic connection can flourish. Your boundaries are your birthright—a powerful tool for reclaiming your energy and showing up as your truest self.

https://www.bloomingwand.com
https://www.youtube.com/@bloomingwand_emilyoneal