The Queer Ritual Podcast

With recent news of war and other violence, it can be difficult to maintain pne's equilibrium. In this episode, I offer a spiritual perspective on how to maintain your own peace when violence around the world is escalating. I delve into the concepts of radical acceptance, karma yoga, and selfless giving (dana).

This episode could be heavy for some listeners. I avoid going into too much detail, but take care of yourself first and foremost!

Music in this episode: "tight soul" by ketsa, accessed from the Free Music Archive under a Creative Commons license (CC BY)

This episode is 17+ only!

Happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate! This episode is a bit of a departure from my usual content. I'll be discussing Heated Rivalry, where it can be problematic, and how this gay Eurasian podcaster from a hockey family who even dated a Slavic European in Boston in 2010 is...not the target audience demographic?

I talk about the fujoshi phenomenon (women who read gay male erotica) and how white writers can learn to write better minority (especially Asian) characters.

I know I'm in the minority opinion when it comes...

Here I share my recent experience at the Buddhist Walk for Peace rally in Caroline County, Virginia. I try to summarize the Venerable Bhikkhu Paññakāra's Dharma talk and a potentially upsetting incident that happened at the rally. (Content warning for religious trauma and most likely mental illness. Listener discretion advised.)

I do my best to answer any possible questions about this Buddhist pilgrimage, including the lineages of the monks participating and how to find a similar Buddhist teacher near you (especially in Eastern Virginia)! I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to the organizers of the Bud...

After a recent viral video, I decided to delve into why more people have been policing public bathrooms. Listener discretion advised that this episode contains foul language and hateful speech (not from myself!). I approach this from a spiritual perspective, trying to dig deeper into where this particular type of hate originates.

Check out my episode of Healing Out Lao'd with Rita Phetmixay!
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e50-riki-b-malone-on-mixed-race-identity-lao-grandfathers/id1446243481?i=1000745365328
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/25TfzSyiVrfvuOyiJscIVm?si=DoUJ6nvdTeGEOw0u-l6juA

For podcast inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
My...

(If the video edition isn't available on your preferred podcast service, it can be viewed on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/ASquQSISGI4?si=KgROAsARs6fCXqif )

Happy New Year! In this special video edition of the podcast, I am pulling cards from Vicki Iskandar's The Chinese Five Elements Oracle deck. I explain how this deck works and how I use it in my readings.

I pull cards for: the state of this podcast, what to expect in 2026, the Queer community as a whole, and myself in the year ahead.

While I appreciate the wisdom people...

This one might ruffle a few feathers. What is spiritual whitewashing? How has it affected various Asian spiritual practices, including Reiki?

I delve into the three Masters from most modern Reiki practitioners' lineage charts (Usui Mikao, Hayashi Chujiro, and Ms Hawayo Takata), along with how they each practiced/taught differently. How much of the original Japanese practices still survive in the way it is practiced today? How much is Reiki influenced by Shingon Buddhism? What do the various "styles" of Reiki have in common? Find out here.

Works cited/mentioned:
My interview appearance on the...

After rewatching Avatar: Way of Water in preparation for the new film Avatar: Fire and Ash, I decided to revisit the spiritual aspects of this second Avatar film. Listen to this episode to understand the Avatar films from a Buddhist and Hindu perspective. I go into the Buddhist concepts of karma and bodhisattvas and how they apply to the film, as well as how the dynamics of the Sully family fit with the family systems model from psychology. What are the aspects of Metkayina and Tulkun spirituality that differentiate them from other Na'vi clans?

And what do I...

We've got a special treat today! This is my first guest interview on the podcast. I speak with Maggie Johns, owner of Tacit Touch Somatic Therapy. We talk about the Transformative Touch method of somatic therapy as a healing modality, the mind body connection (from Western and Eastern/Reiki/Ayurvedic perspectives), and Maggie's experiences with learning to let go of shame resulting from her Southern Baptist upbringing. Maggie is not a member of the LGBTQ community, but she is an ally and mom to the community! Her experiences with faith are also something a lot of us in the Queer...

In this episode: I go over the Five Reiki Precepts (Gokai), a brief explanation of what Reiki is, the different branches of Japanese spirituality that influenced Reiki, and related modern practices within Japan that share heritage with Reiki. These are topics I discuss in more detail during my Reiki Level 1 trainings, so consider this just a taste of all that Reiki has to offer!

• Animism, Shinto, Daoism / Taoism, Yin Yang, Sino-Japanese Medicine, TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mahayana Buddhism, Esoteric Buddhism, Shingon, Tendai, Shugendo, Aiki, Kiko, Qigong, Shiatsu massage, acupressure, wellness, alternative health, energy healing, energy medicine, healing modalities •

In this episode, I delve into how emotions affect the health of your body, both from a Western medical perspective and an Eastern spiritual perspective

IG/Tt: rikidementia
Facebook: Plumeria Beauty+Wellness
Online bookings: https://plumeriabewell.as.me
Email: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Interview request form: https://docs.google.com/forms/...

As always, may you be happy, healthy, and well 🙏

(Fixed a glitch in the previous version!)

Bonus Halloween episode! From The Lost Boys to Buffy and True Blood, vampire stories have loved to play with gay and lesbian themes. Why is that? And why do so many gays and lesbians love vampire stories?

Bonus Halloween episode! From The Lost Boys to Buffy and True Blood, vampire stories have loved to play with gay and lesbian themes. Why is that? And why do so many gays and lesbians love vampire stories?

This episode is part 2 of the ongoing series of the spiritual wounds of LGBTQ people. In this segment, I focus on how the coming out process can fracture the spirit and lead to fragmentation of self. We can disown parts of ourselves, using language like "same sex attraction" instead of "my sexuality" or "my gender identity." Some of the deep wounds from living in the closet can cause lasting feelings of shame and unworthiness that continue to manifest in our lives even after coming out. I also briefly discuss somatic healing methods that can begin to address the lasting physical...

What is spiritual wounding, and how does this pertain to LGBTQ people? In this episode, I delve into common spiritual wounds people in the community face. This is a long winded topic, so there will be multiple episodes in this series!

(This upload was a discarded take from the prior upload. I hadn't realized the previous audio file failed to upload correctly!)

Where to reach me:
IG/Tt: @rikidementia
📧: tqrpodcast@gmail.com

Plumeria Beauty + Wellness; Spotsylvania, VA
www.instagram.com/plumeria.beauty.wellness
To schedule a healing session: https://plumeriabewell.as.

In this episode, I talk about some common spiritual wounds people in the LGBTQ community may have, as well as how these wounds can manifest in adulthood. Some of these wounds may start in the home, while others can happen in school, in our spiritual communities, or in our adult relationships.

While I do my best to avoid triggering language in this episode, I do briefly touch on issues related to abuse, neglect, and addiction.

This episode is the first in an ongoing series! I will discuss various healing and spiritual modalities to heal these spiritual...

Happy Spooky Season!! 👻 
In this episode, I tell two true spooky stories from my own life. In the first story, I recall the haunting in my childhood apartment in Fort Worth, TX. In the second story, an odd detail from a past life regression session that became a crazy coincidence months later.

If you are interested in being a future guest on this show, send me an email at tqrpodcast@gmail.com . I am especially looking for LGBTQ healers, yogis, or witches who have left their original faith.
To book me for past life regression, Reiki, or o...

I'm back! As I return for the long overdue Season 2 of The Queer Ritual Podcast, here are some updates on the state of this podcast and the new direction I will be taking it.

The TL;DR
I've started my own business! Plumeria Beauty+Wellness in Spotsylvania, VA.
Find me on IG @Plumeria.Beauty.Wellness or Facebook listed as "Plumeria Beauty+Wellness"
I am available for Reiki and spiritual coaching sessions in person or online through my booking site: https://plumeriabewell.as.me 
Catch me on an upcoming episode of Healing Out Lao'd with R...

I'm sure many of us in the LGBTQ community have been asked this one. Why is there no STRAIGHT Pride?

I will always answer that pride is a response to shame. So people who have been taught to be ashamed of who they are inside (whether that is sexual orientation, gender identity, etc) are who the Pride movement is for. That isn't to say that people who are in the white Christian majority cannot be proud of who they are, but they haven't been taught to feel shame over who they are.

Stay safe, friends!New...

Happy Pride Month!

In this episode, I reflect on my experiences of being "different" growing up as queer and neurodivergent (ADHD-PI), including how that difference affected me even after coming out. I conclude the episode with how I have used that difference to foster a new sense of community.

I didn't have an outline for this episode, so I know my thoughts wander quite a bit with this one. I appreciate each and every one of my listeners!New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal...

Happy Pride Month! I know the rhetoric has gotten very negative this year for Pride, so today I want to counterbalance the negative with the positive. This episode contains my top 5 perks of being in a same-sex relationship. Rick and I have been together almost twelve years now, and this month will also be our 5 year wedding anniversary!New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

Due to her recent passing, I want to take some time to honor the musical AND spiritual icon, Tina Turner. I explain her encounters with both Christianity and Buddhism, her personal chanting practice (Nam myoho renge kyo), and her efforts to promote peace and unity among all the world's religions.

Mentioned in this episode:
Beyond (2009)
Available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube

Children Beyond (2009)
Also available on same platforms

Tina (2020)
HBO documentary on her life's story

Happiness Becomes You (2020)
Her final bookNew episodes post Monday and Friday!<...

Continuing the theme of healing for Asian Diaspora content during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, today's episode is on the dark side of filial piety.

What is filial piety? Where does the concept come from? Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? All will be discussed in this episode.

I am so proud of my fellow second generation Asian Americans who have decided to speak up on issues of mental health in the Asian American community. One thing our cultures share is the importance of family, but devotion to one's family should never...

Continuing my Asian Pacific American Heritage Month content, today I'm talking about microaggressions. What are they? Why do they hurt? How do we heal from them?

This episode also introduces the concept of radical acceptance.New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

Continuing with the theme of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APIA Heritage Month), I am reposting a previous episode on Asian American Impostor Syndrome. Enjoy!New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

Is it okay for a white person to practice Eastern or indigenous spirituality? (Short answer: yes, BUT with more work!)
When does it count as cultural appropriation?

This is a complicated topic, and by no means is this episode of the podcast all you need to know. I don't claim to be an expert here, but I would love to hear some thoughts from my listeners on this subject!New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for...

New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

It's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Also known as APIA Heritage Month.

After a month long break from producing this podcast, this episode represents the first "pivot" in this content toward healing: whether that is psychological healing, spiritual healing, or societal healing.

In this episode, I'm focusing on the "perpetual foreigner experience" that is so common with Asian Americans, both here in the United States and when visiting countries abroad in Asia. And I make the connection between the LGBTQ experience and the Asian American experience when it comes to forging a personal identity that is...

Back to the podcast roots with this one! Focusing on the Buddhist philosophical concept of how everything is borrowed.New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

An amusing story about the time Team Impact tricked my family into going to a Baptist Church!New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

In light of the recent shooting in Nashville, this episode continues more thoughts on queer respectability politics. I wanted to speak on gender biases within the queer community, and how the fight for equality isn't over after achieving marriage equality in America.

TW: This episode contains discussion on gun violence.New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

What are queer or LGBT respectability politics? In this episode, I go over the concept of respectability politics with examples in other communities. Then, I offer some insights on the deeper meaning behind why the LGBT community polices its own behavior.

Apologies for some sound issues in this episode. I'm not sure what adjustments I need to make to remove the echo!New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

When you use one candle to light another: is it one flame, or two flames? This is also how fundamental truth works.New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

Just a quick mini episode welcoming the Spring equinox! I will be on vacation for the next few days, so content might be shorter while I take a break from the hustle and bustle of life. I will see you all soon when I return! Much metta.New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

This episode is a general overview on how to heal from past trauma. This episode does not replace the help of a licensed mental health professional!

In this episode, I go over what is trauma in the broadest sense of the word, as well as tools to help change our mindset on past events to promote healing. This includes more traditional psychotherapy, as well as plant medicines.

Mentioned in this episode:
Michael Pollan's book How to Change Your Mind
Cognance, a modified Bacopa monnieri supplementNew episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions...

In this mini episode, I share the parable of the snake and the rope that comes from the Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism.New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

I generally try to steer away from politics in this podcast because I want to be as inclusive as possible, but I feel the call to action after the recent rise in anti-trans and anti-drag bills being proposed in state legislatures across the United States. Ignorance and fear are being exploited in America, and this WILL lead to harm and suffering if we do not counter it with action and education.

I feel our community has made so much progress even within my lifetime, but that progress will be lost if we do not speak up. Let us...

Quick little introduction here to newer concepts in Western psychology about Mind Body complex,  or the idea that emotions live within certain parts of the body. I think this is a fascinating example where Eastern wisdom is finding growing support within Western medicine.New episodes post Monday and Friday!

Listener questions and business inquiries: tqrpodcast@gmail.com
Personal IG: www.instagram.com/rikidementia

Thank you for listening!

Warning: This episode contains discussions of emotional abuse, including child abuse, spousal abuse, and spiritual abuse. If these topics are too triggering for you right now, skip this episode or return to it at a later date.
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This episode is on one of the most primal fears of all human beings: the fear of abandonment. I go over the origins of this fear, who can experience it, how it manifests in relationships, and how it is exploited as a form of control. If after hearing these examples, you recognize your own fear of abandonment; I conclude with how...