021: Kids, Don’t Try This At Home
Shows January 22nd, 2008
You asked for it. This episode explores some of the silly things we did in our youth, for good or ill. While they have helped to form who we are, we would not recommenced that you try anything discussed in this episode.
Skeptic warning: We’re as skeptical about the things we say in this episode as you should be.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Awesome! Last night I was was just asking Alexa if she thought there was any way to persuade you to put this up here …and lucky me , here it is .
This was a rather useful episode. For lack of a better way of saying it ,it was a reality check. It was nice to see we all kind of made similar mistakes.
has any one considered doing a research study on the “teen cult experience (aka the teen Crazys)” ? Because two things strike my interest here ..one is the fact that almost every group I talk to has the “the world is ending we have to fight the big bad, omg ,I’m so powerful, etc” story… so what is it that makes (seemingly) every “fringe culture” teen create this same experience ? The second thing that was interesting..or that I found useful was to hear about your version of this (Michelle) And that yes weird things were happening, because the people cought up in the drama were manifesting them. . . that makes dealing with my own “high school crazy” easier to put into perspective…so, thanks for deciding to air the “what not to do” track
Blessings
~Bella
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Oh wow. I LOVED this so much! There was a lot to relate to, actually, lol. Do you have any good books on fae lore? I’m interested!
January 23rd, 2008 at 1:52 am
A couple things struck me in this episode: meeting with the end of the world folk, which I’ve encountered and almost felt controlled by a couple of them so I escaped and have shielded myself…..the thing with michelle’s story and the crucifix and mary statue were really interesting and hit some interesting points for me personally there as well…..I’d add my experience of the people who try to tell you something about you that you’re not and do it in such a way that you are convinced of it almost…..in college and when I was overseas i had some interesting experiences….from this it helped me to recognize, hey wait, I am doing something and I must be careful what I’m doing because it has happend but not the way I’ve wanted it to…..
January 23rd, 2008 at 8:01 pm
I can relate to both Chris and Michelle. I started out with no rules doing a Professor Xavier kind of thing influencing people. Just like your stories strange things started happening. So I stepped back and started using my skills sparingly. Being diplomatic and trying to be a peacemaker. I was in a small group of people dabbling in magic for about 3 months. When they started the “Doom and gloom soap opera”, I disconnected from them. I tend to distance myself from drama and/or my presence has the effect of canceling it. This episode rocked!
January 24th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Listening to this brought back memories for me; there were a lot of parallels in approach if not specific events. I too was always the kid suggesting arcane practices (séances, past life regressions, contacting spirits via Ouija boards – official and home-made variety, teaching teenage friends to pass energy balls at slumber parties, etc.) - also beginning at an age that seems unreasonably early looking back on it today.
Thanks for sharing.
January 25th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I loved this episode. Michelle & Chris you guess rock (whether or not you messed up someones psychological health lol).
I would love to know more about your spirit companions. I’ve been trying to find books on daemons and human friendly spirits but I’m finding it difficult and trusting the first spirit I see doesn’t work for me I’m not trusting enough.
I would also like to know more about building stronger shields, wards and stuff or just the basics of doing because frankly books are only useful up to a point and I’m quite isolated here.
January 27th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Great episode! Both of your (Chris and Michelle) stories were excellently told. I appreciate the balanced use of skepticism when telling them, underlining particular details that made them, at least not seem, blown out of proportion.
I’m glad you were able to look on things from a psychological or more ’scientific’ standpoint. It is difficult to account for all things through psychology, however, as most of it is composed of theoretical stuff, anyway… Haha.
The stories had good information, quality to entertain and (perhaps) guide. Thanks for the work you guys do, I realise your lives are very busy. Know that it is appreciated! I look forward to your next topic!
February 1st, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Thank you…
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I listen to that I like Ouija boards,, and i have been playing with them since I was a kid I think your show is great
blessed be
away with the Ouija
kandlemajick
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:14 pm
I listen to that I like Ouija boards,, and i have been playing with them since I was a kid I think your show is great
blessed be
away with the Ouija
kandlemajick
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:14 pm
I listen to that I like Ouija boards,, and i have been playing with them since I was a kid I think your show is great
blessed be
away with the Ouija
kandlemajick
February 5th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Marianne Williamson said: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” And some will call in the demons of hell before we realize that is true. *Scolding look.*
While I was blessed with this common sense that “children should not play with dead things,” it has subsequently made my life rather boring, more so than Chris’s.
My only personal experiences verifying the subtle realm are far more minor than your messups. I feel a lot like you did as a kid Michelle, so desperate for some kind of proof or disproof, that my ego/curiosity is a little more pronounced than it probably should be.
However, I’m aware that experimentation is best done in a controlled environment, not just for optimum verification, but for the safety of everyone involved. The search to find others who wish to experiment with the same rigor and responsibility goes on…
February 5th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Yeah, I’m the kind of kid who, if given a chemistry set at a tender age, would have blown myself up, along with the cat, the dog and the whole house!
February 5th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
That was a great podcast. Michelle I’d love you hear your method of calling spirits.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Great show. My first summer as a consciously operating magician, two friends and I spent most nights running around the local woods (which were right next to the largest cemetary in town) running interferance so that a “good spirit” could complete its metamorphosis before the “bad spirit” we were working against could eat it. Or whatever nasty thing it was going to do.
We got better.
Later, I evolved the theory that so many people have “OMG! Teh Demonz are going to eat the earth AND ONLY WE CAN STOP THEM!!1!” experiences early on is because that the metaphoic language they have for mystic/magic/energetic stuff comes from fantasy and horror films and books. Without a more unified set of myths to lend shapes and names to these things, people percieve them through the pop-culture filters they have.
What do y’all think?
February 12th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Hey Chris & Michelle! Another great show –one I’ll recommend to a few groups. Thx!
February 12th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Chris & Michelle,
Been listening to you for a couple of months and I have to say as a 30 something pagan mother of two who, when younger, got caught in teh psychic wars and the “let’s drag the witch into every shadow that we believe is a evil spirit conjored to do us harm”, I found myself nodding and relating to not everything but a couple of things. Can’t say I’ve had the experiences Michelle has had, although like her, I sometimes have the “prove it” mentality .
This was a great podcast and the title is perfect for anyone who’s been in this position.
Keep up the great podcasts, and bright blessings to you both. Hope the dog fianlly leaves your pants alone!
February 13th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Dogs have been put here on earth in order to prove to me that I all too frequently wiped greasy fingers on my knees!
–M
February 15th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Just a thought concerning why Ohio seems to be a center for such supernatural activity.
My friends into crystals would postulate geology as a reasoning for it. And indeed, it is said that electromagnetic energy, largely due to unique geology — and hydrology I might add — there can be heightened levels of supernatural activity in these locations (SF, New Orleans, Ohio, etc).
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Wow, another great episode.
It was not only fun to hear about the things that made you who you are today but to reflect upon my own time and experiments when I was a hell of a lot younger.
Thanks.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Late posting, and Jonesing for the next podcast.
As I like to say “Happy Fun Ball ™ is not a toy.” One thing I’ve learned in my practices is once you ask for something, you forfeit the right to be surprised when you get it. The hard lesson is, a lover is always more complex than a grocery list of things you wished for in a lover. It is rare that we think our desires through, or understand the implications of what we seek. There, also, does seem to be a sense of humor involved as well.
Kudos and best to you both Chris and Michelle
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I started playing with ouija boards when I was 7 years old and it has lead me down the occult path I have learned about witchcraft occultism and now vampires. even though my mother raised me in the christian church it does not seem to make any difference, the spirits just keep me learning and reading and watching occult movies and reading the tarot my favorte star is Linda Blair
April 20th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I don’t get what chris did with super structures and major arcana mirrors? What’s that?
May 7th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
This episode much appreciated as it mainly validated that I was not the only stupid teenager out there doing this exact same reckless shit. I look back now and just want to smack myself. I’m around the same age as both the hosts, so it was interesting for me to hear they were doing/experiencing similar things as myself around the same time. I only hope that since my son does not make the same mistakes as myself (he can make his own mistakes).