In this episode of Realms of Curiosity, Sarah and Wendy explore the shamanic concept of dismemberment and remembering—death-and-rebirth processes in which old identities dissolve so something new can emerge.

Through personal stories and reflections, they discuss experiences of loss, upheaval, symbolic death, identity shifts, and the unexpected ways transformation can unfold.

The conversation touches on shamanic journey experiences, resilience, difficult transitions, letting go of limiting narratives, and the role discomfort can play in personal growth.

They also explore how periods of breakdown—whether personal or collective—may invite deeper questions about who we are and what remains when familiar identities fall away.

As always, the conversation remains open-ended, experiential, and grounded in lived experience.

00:43 Why Dismemberment Matters

01:57 Sarah’s First Breakdown Rebirth

04:56 Defining Dismemberment Rebuilding Self

05:57 Classic Shamanic Journey Dismemberment

08:02 Wendy’s Visions and Choking Dreams

11:48 Vintage Mustang Story

16:27 Stolen Car and Life Unraveling

21:42 Santa Barbara Struggle and Turning Point

25:49 Relationships as Ego Death Catalyst

28:20 Shamanism And Divorce

28:55 Trusting The Restlessness

31:41 Inviting Dismemberment Journeys

33:13 Hollow Bone Practitioner Ethics

35:31 Couples Work And Clearing

39:04 Death Rebirth And Shedding Skin

41:05 Training Discomfort With A Dog

45:17 Global Dismemberment And Resilience

48:17 Finding Space Between Thoughts

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• Visit Sarah's website
• Visit Wendy's website

Realms of Curiosity theme music created by Keen Mixer

In this episode of Realms of Curiosity, Sarah and Wendy explore the growing sense that the world feels increasingly chaotic, polarized, and difficult to interpret.

Through personal stories, reflections on cultural change, and shamanic perspectives, they discuss themes of deception, uncertainty, intuition, and the challenge of discerning truth in an age of information overload.

Wendy shares transformative journey experiences that shaped her view that humanity may be moving through a period of breakdown and revelation, while both reflect on the importance of grounding through nature, community, personal integrity, and direct experience.

The conversation also touches on telepathy, collective consciousness, symbolic perception, and Wendy’s novel Raven’s Daughter: The Story Keeper, which explores themes of deception and technological influence through speculative fiction.

As always, the discussion remains exploratory, reflective, and rooted in curiosity rather than certainty.
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• Learn more about Wendy's book Raven's Daughter
• Visit Sarah's website
• Visit Wendy's website

Realms of Curiosity theme music created by Keen Mixer

In this episode of Realms of Curiosity, Sarah and Wendy explore how people access non-ordinary states of consciousness through practices found across cultures and spiritual traditions.

They discuss shamanic journeying through drumming and rattling, altered states induced through breathwork, fasting, ecstatic dance, and plant medicines, and the connection between dreaming, symbolic perception, and expanded awareness.

Drawing from personal experience, they compare shamanic journeying with psychedelic experiences and reflect on the importance of integration, inner preparation, and learning to perceive rather than force experience through the analytical mind.

The conversation also touches on differing cosmologies of middle, lower, and upper worlds, archetypal imagery, the unconscious, and the evolving nature of spiritual practice.

As always, the discussion is exploratory, experiential, and rooted in curiosity rather than certainty.
______________________

Visit Sarah's website
Visit Wendy's website

Realms of Curiosity theme music created by Keen Mixer