Seeking Numina: The Sacred Places Podcast

In this episode of Seeking Numina: Sacred Places Podcast, Elyse Welles welcomes occult herbalist and author Coby Michael to discuss sacred plant allies, poisonous herbs, entheogens, witchcraft, and his groundbreaking new book, The Poison Path Oracle. 

Together they explore the fascinating relationship between poisonous plants, sacred places, and altered states of consciousness, including the enduring mystery of whether the Oracle of Delphi used entheogenic plants during prophecy.

Coby also shares his philosophy on approaching poisonous plants with reverence rather than fear, explaining how these remarkable plant allies invite practitioners into deeper relationships with the natural w...

In this episode of Seeking Numina: The Sacred Places Podcast, Elyse Welles speaks with renowned scholar and author Tobias Churton about heaven across cultures and time explored in his book Celestial Realms: A History of Heaven Since Before the Dawn of Time.

Together, they explore how cultures across the world have understood heaven, the afterlife, sacred space, spiritual dimensions, and the cosmos — from ancient mythologies and Celtic traditions to Hermeticism, Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Christianity, and modern spiritual thought.

Tobias Churton also shares personal reflections on sacred encounters, mystical experience, the symbolic meaning of heaven, and why hu...

In this episode of Seeking Numina: Sacred Places Podcast, Elyse Welles speaks with mixed media artist Jenny Davies-Reazor about sacred creativity, goddess art, pilgrimage, ceramics, mythology, and the spiritual power of artistic practice.

Jenny shares how mythology, witchcraft, nature spirituality, and sacred places like Glastonbury shaped her artistic path and helped her embrace creativity as a spiritual practice. Together, Elyse and Jenny explore the relationship between the divine feminine, sacred art, pilgrimage, clay work, body image, and the transformative role of creativity in spiritual life.

Jenny also discusses her journey from public school arts educator...

In this episode of the Seeking Numina: Sacred Places Podcast, Elyse Welles sits down with Finnish folklorist, author, and illustrator Niina Niskanen to explore the mystical world of Finnish tree magic, animism, sauna spirits,  ancient folklore traditions, and a Lord of the Rings connection.

Together they discuss the spiritual significance of saunas in Finnish culture, the connection between trees and deities in Finnish mythology, forest spirits, ritual practices, and the animistic worldview woven through Finland’s ancient traditions.

This conversation is perfect for anyone interested in:
Finnish mythology, pagan traditions, animism, witchcraft, sacred ecology, for...

 What does it really mean to awaken in today’s rapidly changing world?

In this powerful episode of Seeking Numina: Sacred Places Podcast, spiritual teacher and Ayurveda pioneer Maya Tiwari shares profound wisdom on Shakti (feminine power), 5D consciousness, the middle path, and reclaiming personal sovereignty in a time of global transformation.

Maya Tiwari is the founder of the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda and a globally recognized spiritual teacher, author, and humanitarian. Her work focuses on ahimsa (harmony), healing, and awakening human consciousness.

📘 Featured Book: I Am Shakti

#SpiritualAwakening #5DConsciousness #MayaTi...

What if the land is speaking… and we’ve simply forgotten how to listen?

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I am joined by Jane Matthews, director of World Divination, teacher of intuitive arts, and author,  for a rich conversation exploring the Ogham, Ireland’s sacred landscape, and the spirits that dwell within it.

Together, they explore the Ogham as the earliest Irish alphabet and its deep connection to trees, language, and the living land. Moving beyond symbols, this conversation invites listeners to consider what it means to listen to nature and recognize our own...

What if your wounds are something sacred?

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I am joined by Ness Bosch, author of Divine Wounds, Iberian shamaness, and founder of the Path of the Bones for a deeply reflective conversation on the divine feminine, healing, and the spiritual significance of our wounds.

Together, we explore the idea that our wounds can act as pathways to connection with deity. Drawing from Ness’s work and lived experience, this episode gently reframes healing as something sacred and ongoing, rather than something to “just fix.” Through stories of workin...

What does it mean to be called to a place?

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I am joined by Katie Ness, author of Word Witchery, hedgewitch, yoga teacher, and Magdalene priestess, for a rich conversation on personal gnosis, pilgrimage, and the sacred lands of Sardinia and Cyprus.

Together, we explore the deep, often unexplainable pull toward certain places and how Spirit guides us to them in its own timing. Katie shares her unexpected journey to Cyprus at just nineteen, and the profound sense of knowing that she was meant to be there...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, we travel to the ancient temples of Malta, a place that may hold the missing link in the story of Mediterranean goddess worship.

Joined by Maltese folk witch and creator of Lunar and Wild, Steph Rose Wild (@stephrosewild), the conversation explores Malta’s remarkable sacred landscape from the mysterious underground chambers of the Hypogeum to the island’s famous womb-like temples carved from living stone. These sacred structures, shaped through deep relationship with the land, may reveal how ancient peoples understood the divine feminine, death rites, and the living spir...

This week on The Sacred Places Podcast. I sit down with Tudorbeth, a hereditary practitioner, author, and deck creator, to explore the magic of the hedge and what it means to walk the boundary between the physical and the spiritual.

What is a hedge, and why has it become such a powerful symbol within witchcraft and folk magic traditions? Together, we discuss liminal places, trance work, hedgewitch identity, and the deeper meaning behind thresholds we encounter both in nature and within ourselves. From the quiet power beneath bridges to the energetic symbolism of sending intentions away on...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m joined by animist practitioner, scholar, and author Vanessa Lavallee for a deep conversation about the true roots of ancient magic and what it means to decolonize our spiritual practices today.

Vanessa is currently working toward a doctorate in religious studies, and her work is driven by a passion for understanding where magical traditions began, how they were shared across cultures, and why they have survived for so long. Together, we explore the origins of practices many of us recognize, including how casting a circle can be traced ba...

In Part 2 of my conversation with spiritual teacher, author, and psychologist Philip Carr-Gomm, we step fully into the sacred landscape of Sussex and explore what it means to walk the land as a pilgrim.

This episode centers on Philip’s book The Long Man and Friends: Sacred Sussex and the deeper questions it raises: how to share sacred places without turning them into something to be consumed, how to honor land without exploiting it, and how to listen when a place calls you to walk it. Philip shares the powerful story of how, after the death of hi...

In this first episode of Season 3 of The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m joined by spiritual teacher, author, and psychologist Philip Carr-Gomm for a thoughtful conversation on Druidry as a living spiritual path.

This episode focuses on the foundations of Druidry and why relationship with the land is central to the tradition. Philip shares reflections from his early life growing up in post–World War II London and how encounters with nature shaped his spiritual path.

We explore the concept of the Awen, the flowing current of inspiration in Druidry, and how it connects with the...

Travel has the power to open us mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m joined by ritual teacher and author Lisa McSherry for a thoughtful conversation about what it means to approach travel as a magical and sacred practice.

Lisa shares how her life in the Pacific Northwest and her move to Portugal shaped her understanding of place, ritual, and movement, and what inspired her to write A Traveler’s Guide to Making Magic when she couldn’t find the resource she was looking for. Together, we explore the idea that t...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m joined by author, psychotherapist, and somatic guide Carly Mountain for a profound exploration of Inanna’s Descent and one of the world’s oldest myths of transformation, embodiment, and return.

Together, we explore how descent work can root us more deeply in our bodies, our breath, and the land beneath our feet, especially in a world that constantly encourages dissociation. Carly shares how Inanna guides her back into sensory presence, how the seven gates of descent mirror the seven chakras, and why our bodies are themselves sacred places...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m honored to be joined by one of my dear friends, Nicholas Pearson, to explore the deep magic of stone, land, and the mineral kingdom through his newest book, The Witching Stones.

Nicholas has been immersed in all aspects of the mineral realm for nearly 30 years and is widely recognized as a leading expert in crystal healing today. What makes his work so special to me is the way he bridges science and spirituality while staying rooted in relationship with the land itself. As we talk about in th...

In this episode, I sit down with Fotoula Foteini Adrimi, author of Sacred Mysticism of Egypt and director of The ISIS School of Holistic Health, for a conversation that touched a very personal part of my lineage. The Egyptian side of my heritage has always been the hardest for me to connect with, and Fotoula’s presence felt like both a guide and a reminder of something ancient within me.

We explore the concept of Zep Tepi, the “first time” or “golden age,” when humanity lived from the truth of spirit rather than the conditioned mind. Fotoula shares how...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, we travel into the heart of the Appalachian Mountains with author and folk magic practitioner Leah Middleton, also known as @TheRedheadedWitch. Leah’s new book, Magic from the Hilltops and Hollers: Folk Witchery, Superstitions, and Healing Practices from Appalachia, is a beautiful tribute to the living traditions, ancestral wisdom, and land-rooted spirituality of Appalachia, and today she invites us into that world with her.

Leah shares how growing up in the mountains shaped her spirit, and how getting her driver’s license felt like gaining a magical key that open...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m joined by Jessica Howard, a practicing witch of over twenty years and author of The Art of Lithomancy, to explore the ancient and deeply earthy world of divination with stones.

Stones have always held a quiet kind of wisdom for me. They’re not just crystals from a shop, they’re pieces of the land itself. They live in our gardens, line riverbeds, and lie beneath our feet, holding stories older than we can imagine. Lithomancy is a way of listening to those stories, and Jessica’s book mak...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m joined by Laura Perry who is a pagan author, artist, and founder of Ariadne’s Tribe, to explore the fascinating world of Minoan spirituality in Bronze Age Crete.

I had the privilege of visiting Crete this past summer, and the island left a deep impression on me. It doesn’t always feel like an island, you can drive just 30 minutes and find dramatic changes in temperature, vegetation, and even the way the land opens up to the sky or closes in with mountains. These landscapes shaped...

In this episode, I am joined by Polish folk practitioner, witch, and psychologist Joanna Tarnawska, whose upcoming book Polish Folk Magic (out this December) dives deep into the traditions of her homeland. Together, we explore Poland’s sacred mountains, springs, and land spirits, weaving together history, resilience, and the lessons the land is always whispering to those who listen.

From centuries-old pilgrimages and gnome-filled cities to the echoes of WWII and cultural survival, Joanna shares how her land-based practices are rooted in tradition rather than reinvention. I reflect on my own recent trip to Poland, bringing fresh ey...

 In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I welcome witch, teacher, and author Ivo Dominguez Jr. to share the wisdom of more than fifty years of magical practice. With the newly updated release of his classic book Spirit Speak, Ivo reflects on what it means to communicate with spirits, especially the spirits of place, who first spoke to him as a young practitioner. Together, we explore the value of silence, the instinctive ways humans connect with the unseen, and why science might just be another way of explaining magic. We also discuss what it means to find or c...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I sit down with the amazing Mary Ann Clements to talk about the Red Tents movement and the power of creating sacred spaces for women’s self-expression, rest, and community.

Mary Ann shares how she first encountered a Red Tent during a time of major life shifts, and how stepping into that simple, agenda-free space became a profound experience. Together, we explore how modern Red Tents have evolved, what they look like today, and why they continue to matter so deeply.

We also talk about the ways pa...

In this advanced episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I am joined by Solomon Pakal, a modern-day practitioner of Mayan spiritual traditions. Together, we explore the profound journey of maintaining and living ancient spiritual practices in today’s world, especially when these paths are often seen as "other" or marginalized.

Solomon and I share our unique experiences as practitioners of faiths that have endured the weight of colonization. As a Greek priestess and Solomon as one of the few carrying the sacred knowledge of the Maya, we discuss the complexities of identity, imposter syndrome, and the deep co...

We begin this new season with a deeply meaningful conversation: What To Do With Angry Land Spirits, featuring author, priest, and fairy expert Morgan Daimler.

In this episode, Morgan and I explore what it means to be in relationship with the spirits of the land especially when that relationship is complicated or even strained. We talk about what happens when the land holds grief, when it holds memory, and when it pushes back.

Morgan shares her experience growing up with second sight and what it’s like to live in conversation with the Otherworld. We re...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, we set off on a beautifully meandering journey into the world of Sabrina, the goddess and land spirit of the River Severn, the longest river in Britain. Joining me is Brett Hollyhead (@witch_of_salopia), author of Sabrina, for a deeply conversational episode that feels less like a formal interview and more like two friends sitting by the river, letting the stories flow where they may.

Check out Brett's book wherever you buy books!! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pagan-portals-sabrina-brett-hollyhead/1146736443?ean=9781803418070

Together, we explore the many myths...

This episode is truly a magical and one-of-a-kind episode recorded on location at the ancient oracle site of Dodona, the oldest known oracle in Greece. I’m joined by my dear friend and fellow author, Joanna Farrer of coffeeanddivination.com as we explore the sacred land, its history, and the living energy still present among the stones and oak trees.

Dodona was once home to priestesses who interpreted the will of the gods through the rustling of a sacred oak tree. In this episode, Joanna and I sit among the trees and birdsong to reflect on the ro...

In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I am joined by author, priestess, and Welsh mythologist Jhenah Telyndru for a magical conversation about the goddesses Rhiannon and Blodeuwedd and the sacred land of Wales where their presence still echoes.

Together, we explore Welsh mythology, goddess traditions, sovereignty, and the deep spiritual importance of place. What does it mean to be in relationship with a deity or with a landscape? How do stories live on through land, memory, and myth?

Whether you're drawn to Celtic goddess spirituality, planning a pilgrimage to sacred sites in Wales...

Can you truly connect with land spirits when you’re always on the move?

In this episode of Seeking Numina: The Sacred Places Podcast, I answer a heartfelt listener question from Natasha, a nomadic spiritual practitioner living in an RV with her family. With a new location each week, Natasha wonders how to build meaningful spiritual connection to the land without putting down physical roots.

I'm so excited to take this opportunity to share with you all how I connect with land as a nomad myself! We will be talking about travel altars, sacred reciprocity wi...

In this episode of Seeking Numina: The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m joined by Steve Blamires, an author, scholar, and lifelong student of Celtic spirituality, to explore what really happened to the sidhe in Scotland, and how places like Antarctica might still hold answers for us.

This is a conversation about myth, memory, place, and presence. If you’ve ever felt the pull of ancient land or the whisper of something just beyond the veil, I hope this episode offers you something meaningful.

This episode is edited by Jordan, a cohost for the Astro Study Room...

What happens when a dream and a longing for connection cross paths under the light of the Moon?

In this episode of Seeking Numina: The Sacred Places Podcast, we explore the origin story of We'Moon, the beloved lunar calendar and global sisterhood that blossomed out of women’s land communities in the 1980s. Through the voices of three generations of women who helped shape and sustain We’Moon, we trace the legacy of sacred connection: from a hitchhiking journey through Europe to the founding of the first We’Moon land in Oregon.

We’Moon has never be...

From ancient temples to tiny bedside altars, humans have always created spaces to meet the divine. But are these spaces truly sacred, or is sacredness reserved for untouched forests, oceans, and mountaintops?

In this heartfelt solo episode, I share:

🌿 The spiritual power of intentional spaces
 🕯️ Stories of altars, gardens, and the magic of what we build
 💧 The gifts of natural sacred places like Bath, UK and Stonehenge
 🏡 Why even our homes can be alive with spirit
 💬 And why sacredness has never been limited to the wild

If you’ve ever doubted whether yo...

What if the goddess of the hunt was never just a huntress? 🌙🏹

In this episode of Seeking Numina: The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m joined by historian and goddess researcher Dr. Carla Ionescu to explore the forgotten power of Artemis as she is one of the most misunderstood deities of the ancient world.

Together, we unravel sacred sites, whispered myths, and the hidden truth behind her temples and what they reveal might just change everything you thought you knew about the divine feminine.

✨ Why did Artemis have more temples than any other Olympian?
 ✨ Wha...

Have you ever felt called to connect with a sacred place, only to feel an invisible barrier pushing you away? In this episode of Seeking Numina: The Sacred Places Podcast, we’re diving into why land spirits sometimes say “no” when we try to reach out.

Whether it’s an ancient forest, a quiet beach, or a place that holds personal significance, the energy of the land might feel welcoming or they may feel resistant. Why do some places feel open and others closed off? Could it be a matter of safety, timing, or something even deeper?

Joi...

In this enchanting episode, let’s discuss the sacred waters of Bath, England, where history, myth, and magic converge. Joined by author and high priestess Rachel Patterson, we uncover the mystery of Sulis Minerva: the ancient goddess of the hot springs.

Bath is more than a picturesque destination; it is England’s only natural hot spring, a place where the land itself holds memory. As we explore the legend of King Bladud, the temples, and the hidden magic woven into the city’s limestone foundation, we begin to understand why this place has been revered for centuries.

F...

In this captivating episode, I unveil the hidden magic of sacred places right in our own backyard. Journey with me to French Creek State Park in Pennsylvania - a landscape reborn from its industrial past at Hopewell Furnace into a thriving, healing sanctuary. Guided by a calling from Inanna, I embark on a 3 day, 3 night descent into the wilderness, retreating to a secluded cabin where I build both indoor and outdoor altars, listen deeply to the land’s ancient wisdom, and learn about our relationship with the Moon.

Check out this episode on YouTube to see the pl...

The land around you isn’t just a backdrop to your spiritual practice. It’s an active, sacred force you can call upon in your rituals. In this episode, I share how to connect with the land where you live, the places you visit, and even the Earth you bring home with you.

No matter where you are, whether it feels spiritually vibrant or disconnected, remember: all land is sacred because it is the body of our mother. I’ll walk you through ways to introduce yourself to the land spirits, invite them into your rituals, and even a...

Have you ever looked back on a year and felt like you’d lived several lifetimes in those 12 months? In this episode of Seeking Numina, I reflect on the transformative journey that was 2024. It was a year of profound growth, magical opportunities, and life-changing experiences.

You’ll hear about:
✨ The life-changing opportunities I said “yes” to and how they reshaped my path.
✨ The creation of The Witch Codes container and its impact on my community.
✨ My journey to embodying authenticity and healing through sacred retreats.
✨ Stepping into my role as a native Greek priestess and ad...

Have you ever stood on sacred ground or felt a deep pull to connect with the land while out in nature? In this episode, Elyse Welles shares practical guidance on how to intentionally work with the land in a way that honors its energy and spirit.

You’ll learn:
✨ How to call in the elements (a practice rooted in ancient traditions).
✨ Elyse’s personal ritual steps, including calling the quarters, leaving offerings, and meditating.
✨ Ways to connect with the spirits of the land and maintain that connection even after you’ve left.
✨ The importance of...

In this episode, Elyse interviews Natalia Dunne of @unleah_the_goddess about the sacred landscapes of Southern France. Nat shares her transformative retreat experiences and how she was called to move from Canada to Southern France with her family. Together, they explore the mystical Isis Throne, a red spring linked to blood mysteries and the divine feminine, and other places they have met with Spirit. They also discuss how the electromagnetic fields from underground water influenced the placement of sacred sites, the timeless connection between land and spirit, and how deities adapt to serve the needs of the times...