Ink Speak with Maverick Malone

Maverick L. Malone

Ink Speak: A Podcast for Storytellers, Dreamers & Seekers Have you ever felt like there’s more to life than what you’re living? I did too, until I set fire to the life I thought I was supposed to have and chose myself instead. Once choice led to another and I crash landed here, to tell the story of the magic that happened along the way. I’m Maverick Malone (@mavmalone)—author, poet, and spoken word artist—and this podcast is a space for everyone. Most podcasts teach, interview, or perform, but this one just lives. It's a podcast you step into. Ink Speak is where personal storytelling meets poetry, magic, and the raw human experience. Each episode feels like sitting down together in real time. Sometimes I’m in my backyard, sometimes I’m traveling, sometimes I’m in the middle of something I don’t fully understand yet. But wherever I am, you’re right there with me. Every episode begins with a poem or spoken word piece that sets the tone, then unfolds into raw, unfiltered storytelling—about love, loss, transformation, spirituality, and the in-between moments most people don’t share. This is a space for thinking differently, seeing your life from a new angle, and feeling a little less alone while you do. Whether it's navigating change, learning to trust the unknown, finding magic in the mundane or actively creating it, Ink Speak reminds us what it means to be human: messy, poetic, and infinitely powerful. If you’ve ever wanted something that feels more like connection than content—welcome. Come sit for a while.

  1. Sep 5

    61. “Before the Book Release” - On shadow work, the gifts of darkness, and what happened in August before I could reach Aquarius

    On the day of my third book launch, I expected to feel AMAZE (no, that's not a typo). Instead, I was hit with anxiety-overload, quaking self-doubt, and an old, familiar belief that said it wasn't safe or ok to take up space and celebrate myself. In this raw and deeply emotional episode, I take you behind the scenes of my own integration process in real time. Instead of shoving the fear down, I pulled out a chair for it and hosted a dialogue between my terrified past selves and my compassionate inner guidance. I read that transcript verbatim in this episode as an example of a lived, completely unedited example of what shadow work actually looks like when you stop trying to outrun your pain and invite it to the table instead. We dive deep into why so many of us struggle to honor our wins, how to safely navigate internal pressure, and why celebration itself might be the best medicine. In this episode, we explore: Real-Time Integration: A live reading of a therapeutic dialogue with my anxious parts on the day of my book release.My personal "Kombucha Theory" of Healing: Why shadow work requires titration—releasing emotional pressure a little at a time instead of blowing off the cap all at once.Reframing Self-Abandonment: How rushing to the "next goal" is often survival armor disguised as productivity, and why we need to stop taming down our joy.Archetypes of the Dark: Navigating the Persephone and Hekate energies of moving between the underworld of our trauma and the light of our expansion.A Corrective Experience: What actually happened at open mic night, how internal magic supersedes external sales, and why you are worthy of celebration simply because you exist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Whether you're navigating a big-scary-omg-HUGE-wtf-is-going-on life transition, struggling to step into the bright spotlight of your own life, or looking for practical ways to extend compassion to your hurt parts, this episode is a great reminder that you don't have to white-knuckle your way through growth. You can do this, and I believe in you. If I can make it here, anyone can. Give this one a listen when you're tired of wandering the dark. Press play and borrow my torch. You're not alone. No clue who I am? THAT'S AMAZING!!! So glad you found me. If any of this resonated and you want to Scuba-Steve deeper, check me out around the internet-town in these spaces: Read more about this experiences on my related article, When No One’s Consuming Your Art & Your Subscribers are Nil (with photos!)Follow me on Instagram @mavmaloneSubscribe to my (paywall-free!) Substack, Mentally I'm HereStep deeper into the Wild Fantastic of my world at maverickmalone.com

    61. “Before the Book Release” - On shadow work, the gifts of darkness, and what happened in August before I could reach Aquarius
  2. Aug 16

    60. “Leo's Song” - Animal Familiars and Telepathic Communication, Grief as a Creative Force, & the Birth of Exquisite Spells

    All endings are new beginnings. In this episode of the podcast, I share the story of my beloved dog, Leo, whose passing coincided with the clearing energy of the March lunar eclipse. But his departure went beyond loss; it became a spiritual and creative initiation. I open up about the mystical moments that orbited his passing: a dream visitation where we spoke telepathically, giving me the peace and permission I needed to let him go, and the strange, beautiful ways grief can act as an catalyst for transformation. In this episode, we'll explore: Pets vs. Familiars: My thoughts on what differentiates a household pet from a spiritual familiar, why Leo was so deeply tied to my magic and spiritual practice, and how he continues to assist my creative work from the other side.Premonition & Preemptive Grief: The achingly beautiful essay I began writing before he passed, and the mystical experiences that unfolded as I grieved in real-time.The Birth of Exquisite Spells: How Leo’s passing became the ultimate catalyst for a project originally conceived in 2024, fueling the next evolution of my creative and spiritual work.Collaborating Beyond the Veil: Why honoring Leo's spirit through this first release feels like continuing our magical partnership, turning ending into art.Leo’s Message to Humanity: A channeled poem received from Leo’s perspective—his final, loving message for me, and for all of us.I also introduce what Exquisite Spells are, what this new offering represents, and where you can find and download these digital audio and written offerings for your own practice. If you'd like to find out more about Exquisite Spells, you can: Read the full article I mentioned in this episode: "My Dog Died & Something New Was Born"Purchase Vol. 1 of Exquisite Spells: Peace is a Pup at the Lake - On the gifts of grief & loss If you have no idea who I am and want to read more, here are some great places to start! Follow me on Instagram @mavmaloneSubscribe to my (paywall-free!) Substack, Mentally I'm HereStep deeper into the Wild Fantastic of my world at maverickmalone.com

    60. “Leo's Song” - Animal Familiars and Telepathic Communication, Grief as a Creative Force, & the Birth of Exquisite Spells
  3. Jul 25

    59. “Andrea Gibson says…” - On Unlearning Survival, Conscious Relationships & the Science & Evolution of Love

    In this episode, we’re tearing down the myth that love inevitably loses its luster or that you have to choose between safe, comfortable stability and wild, passionate fire. This episode serves as a companion deep-dive and real-time context for my third book, From August to Aquarius, which chronicles this whole journey as it actually happened. Drawing from my own journey, one of staying in a 14-year codependent, survival-driven relationship to building a deeply secure, sacred partnership today, I share what happens when we step out of surviving and into thriving, by learning to save ourselves first. Relationships are mirrors, and if we want to call in a partner who is regulated, steady, and growth-oriented, we have to first embody those qualities ourselves and become our own safe container. Together, we'll dive into: The Metaphor of the Wild Horse: How healing happens incrementally when we stop running an underlying script of fear and allow a safe partner to stay present without forcing or shaming.The Neurochemistry of Safe Love: What actually happens in the brain and nervous system when hypervigilance turns off, cortisol drops, and oxytocin establishes a true feeling of "home."Growing a Garden, Not Losing Passion: Why time doesn't dull a conscious connection and how we can expand and enrich it.Held vs. Beheld: The spiritual evolution of love, moving from simply being supported to being witnessed with the soul in pure awe and reverence.Messages of Encouragement & Hope: The truth about why love is powerful and how you can tap into that to build a more fulfilling life and connection with yourself.Magic is real, love is real, and it lives within us. Join me as we explore how clearing our internal shadows allows us to step into the radical safety of being fully seen, fully authentic, and deeply beheld. If you'd like to learn more about From August to Aquarius, you can check out these articles, grab a copy, or follow me on my other platforms: Read the companion article here - ⁠Unlearning Survival: How Relationships Evolve from Suspicious to Safe⁠From August to Aquarius Cover Reveal: Poetry, Memoir, and a Journey of Conscious LoveOrder a copy of the book hereFollow me on Instagram @mavmaloneSubscribe to my (paywall-free!) Substack, Mentally I'm HereStep deeper into the Wild Fantastic of my world at maverickmalone.com

    59. “Andrea Gibson says…” - On Unlearning Survival, Conscious Relationships & the Science & Evolution of Love
  4. Jun 11

    58. “How Could It Be Meaningless?” - The Science of Belief, the Wonder of Spirituality, and What Real Magic Is

    If you’ve ever been told that “your thoughts create your reality,” you’ve probably also felt the toxic underbelly of that phrase. Does an intrusive thought mean you're manifesting a catastrophe? “NOOOOOOO!” (I say with the fierceness of a Michael Scott meme). In this episode, we’re dismantling the sanitized, bypass-heavy narratives of mainstream manifestation to look at what actually happens when our internal world meets our external life. Instead of forcing a choice between cold logic and ungrounded "woo," we’re stepping directly into the gray area where the intersection of mechanism and meaning thrives and where real magic is made. What We Dive Into: Trauma-Informed Manifestation: Why thought alone doesn't create reality, and why your intrusive thoughts aren't punishing you (taking systemic reality into account).Science Meets the Unseen: Where neuroscience and spirituality agree, where they clash, and why human expansion requires integrating both without exiling either.Radical Discernment: The vital importance of remaining your own ultimate authority, even when receiving profound guidance from mysterious sources.The Voice Note from Beyond: A raw look at a literal voice note I recorded months ago, capturing a moment of loving, unexplainable guidance that neuroscience can't fully explain.Redefining Real Magic: The beauty of paradox, living in the gray area, and turning down the absolutes so you can claim your discernment.Links & Resources: Read the referenced Substack article: You are not your Output & You Don’t Owe Substack or Social Media AnythingTune in to Maviverse 311.8FM on Substack: Mentally I'm HereWebsite: maverickmalone.comInstagram: @mavmalone

    58. “How Could It Be Meaningless?” - The Science of Belief, the Wonder of Spirituality, and What Real Magic Is
  5. Jun 2

    57. "You are not cringe for being passionate" - The Radical Spiritual Practice of Consuming Your Own Art & Becoming Your Own Audience

    Have you ever re-read your old writing or listened to your own audio and felt a big wave of cringe? In a digital culture optimized for fast validation, we are conditioned to believe that loving our own creations is a symptom of a massive ego. But WHAT IF the inverse is true? WHAT IF refusing to witness and appreciate your own expression is the ultimate act of self-fragmentation? In this episode, we break down the difference between Ego Love (performative, hyper-vigilant, and dependent on an external mirror) and Sovereign Love (devotional, self-contained, and internally generated). We explore why a "big ego" is actually a muted radio station and how to finally turn up your own unique soul's frequency. What We Dive Into: The Physics of Sound: How speaking devotional love to yourself operates like a literal tuning fork, physically organizing the 60% of water inside your cells into harmonious, coherent symmetry.The Ego Mirror: Why ego requires validation to sustain identity and how to orient internally so the external mirror becomes like guac: extra!The "Cringe" Reframe: A powerful inner-child visualization technique to neutralize harsh self-critique.The Importance of Being Your Own Audience: What this does on an energetic level and how it can shift your reality.The creative energy that hit you chose you to give it form. It’s time to throw down the welcome mat, serve up the umbrella drinks, and turn the volume all the way up on your own song. Want to stay tuned to the Maviverse 311.8FM? Follow me on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mentally I'm Here,⁠⁠⁠⁠ my website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠maverickmalone.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on Instagram (for now) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mavmalone⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    57. "You are not cringe for being passionate" - The Radical Spiritual Practice of Consuming Your Own Art & Becoming Your Own Audience

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Ink Speak: A Podcast for Storytellers, Dreamers & Seekers Have you ever felt like there’s more to life than what you’re living? I did too, until I set fire to the life I thought I was supposed to have and chose myself instead. Once choice led to another and I crash landed here, to tell the story of the magic that happened along the way. I’m Maverick Malone (@mavmalone)—author, poet, and spoken word artist—and this podcast is a space for everyone. Most podcasts teach, interview, or perform, but this one just lives. It's a podcast you step into. Ink Speak is where personal storytelling meets poetry, magic, and the raw human experience. Each episode feels like sitting down together in real time. Sometimes I’m in my backyard, sometimes I’m traveling, sometimes I’m in the middle of something I don’t fully understand yet. But wherever I am, you’re right there with me. Every episode begins with a poem or spoken word piece that sets the tone, then unfolds into raw, unfiltered storytelling—about love, loss, transformation, spirituality, and the in-between moments most people don’t share. This is a space for thinking differently, seeing your life from a new angle, and feeling a little less alone while you do. Whether it's navigating change, learning to trust the unknown, finding magic in the mundane or actively creating it, Ink Speak reminds us what it means to be human: messy, poetic, and infinitely powerful. If you’ve ever wanted something that feels more like connection than content—welcome. Come sit for a while.