Where The Veil Thins Where the Veil Thins

In this episode, we interview Keeley Bee, a genderfluid meditation teacher, visual artist and co-host of The Treehouse, a radical community made to nurture LGBTQIA+ individuals. In our discussion, we touch on Keeley's inspirations, their journey to finding and eventually teaching meditation, and tips for listeners to have better luck with their own meditation sessions. We end the episode with a generous guided meditation led by Keeley herself. 

You can find Keeley on Instagram here. The Treehouse is also on Instagram, here.

Links:

- To support Ukraine via UN agencies, click here.

Sounds:

Theme music by Matt Carrico

- Ocean sound provided by inchadney on freesound.org. This work is licensed under the Attribution Noncommercial 4.0 License. https://freesound.org/people/inchadney/sounds/587759/

- Gentle synths provided by Erokia on freesound.org. This work is licensed under the Attribution 4.0 License. The original track was looped to create a longer piece. https://freesound.org/people/Erokia/sounds/424319/

- Fire.wav provided by TheBoatman on freesound.org. This work is licensed under the Attribution 3.0 License. https://freesound.org/people/TheBoatman/sounds/347706/

- Transition music by Joseph Beg

On this Halloween episode, Natalya and Michelle swap stories of Chicago's historic hauntings and try to separate fact from fiction, debunking a couple of myths along the way. In the second half of the episode, we share Michelle's interview with a Chicago bartender who divulges his paranormal experiences at various Windy City watering holes. 

Many thanks to Pamela Bannos, whose in-depth research on Chicago's original cemeteries is cited in this episode. Her project can be found here: https://hiddentruths.northwestern.edu/home.html

Other cited works and references: Dead in Chicago blog post by Leyla I. Royale. Ray Johnson's blog post on Chicago's Haunt Detective. To Die in Chicago: Confederate Prisoners at Camp Douglas, by George Levy. The "City Cemetery (now southern end of Lincoln Park)" page on The Great Chicago Fire & the Web of Memory site by the Chicago Historical Society and Northwestern University. Thanks also to the Chicago Tribune for its excellent archive.



Information on Bucktown and Bucktown Pub:

https://www.wickerparkbucktown.com/theneighborhood/neighborhood-history/

https://bucktown.org/about/history/

https://www.bucktownpub.com/about/


Music: WTVT theme by Matt Carrico. "A Cradle Song" by Mary Riddle. "Final Days of Captivity" by Christian Andersen. Sound effects from Epidemic Sound.

Cousins Natalya and Michelle explore what it means to be a witch in the 21st century with the help of Chicago-based Artwitch, Kita Atabaki. Together they discuss topics such as witches in pop culture, racism and its effects on self-perception, finding connections to one's spiritual lineage, and the blending of artistic creation with witchcraft. 


*To learn more about Kita, you can find her at:
IG: kitachicago
Website:https://www.kitachicago.com/



Hurricane Ida relief for Louisiana Indigenous groups:

- You can donate to the United Houma Nation at https://unitedhoumanation.org/donate/ 

- You can donate to Grand Bayou Indian Village in Plaquemines Parish For information on how to donate, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ilovegrandbayou/ 

- You can donate to the Pointe-au-Chien Indian tribe via a PayPal link at https://pactribe.tripod.com

- https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ESK3GKVZK6N6A  -  Isle de Jean Charles Band

- https://www.gcdbcc.org/support - Grand Caillou/Dulac Band



Theme music by Matt Carrico

Transition music by Joseph Beg

We are joined by psychic medium and animal communicator Nancy Mello, who specializes in helping reunite lost pets with their human families. Nancy discusses the oftentimes arduous journey that has led her to using her innate psychic gifts to help other people, and together we explore questions about the spirit realm. Nancy has been featured in publications such as the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Tribune, as well as multiple other media outlets and podcasts.

You can find out more about Nancy at NancyMello.com.



*Links for the Chicago Black Drag Council:

Website: https://www.chicagoblackdragcouncil.org/

Instagram: @Chicagoblackdragcouncil



Theme music by Matt Carrico

Transition music by Joseph Beg

On our second astrology installment, astrologer Ash Stewack takes us through the uses of predictive astrology, including the ways in which long term planetary transits can affect entire societies and countries. With Ash, we delve deeper into each planet's energies and talk about the astro weather of Saturn square Uranus and the Pluto return of the United States, just in time for it's birthday!

Happy 4th of July!


*To learn more about Ash and to book a session, please visit: https://www.wayfinderreadings.com/
IG: wayfinder_



*Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago: https://www.advancingjustice-chicago.org/
IG: advancingjusticechicago


*To learn more about how you can support Indigenous communities, please visit:

Indian Residential School Survivors Society: https://www.irsss.ca/donate

Orange Shirt Society: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/orange-shirt-society.html

The Tsow-Tun Le Lum Society provides a toll free line that Indigenous people in crisis or needing support can call at 1-888-403-3123. Donations can be made at: https://www.tsowtunlelum.org/resources/donate/ 

Canadian Roots Exchange: https://canadianroots.ca/monetary-donations/



Theme music by Matt Carrico

Transition music by Joseph Beg

With the help of astrologer Vivian Hecimovich, Michelle and Natalya explore the basics of astrology. Vivian also touches on how she came to discover her love for yoga and tarot.



* To book a session with Vivian, please visit:

https://www.stars-in-alignment.com/services

IG: stars_in_alignment 



* Contact My Block, My Hood, My City:

https://www.formyblock.org/

IG: myblockmyhoodmycity

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myblockmyhoodmycity

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbmhmc



Theme music by Matt Carrico

Transition music by Joseph Beg