Podcast
The Fertile Dark
Hosted by Daniel Warner, Charmaine Fuller · EN
The Fertile Dark is a podcast for people who sense something essential is missing — even when life looks productive, informed, or “successful.” Drawing from depth psychology, mythology, and lived experience, the show explores the slow, relational work of becoming beyond self-optimization and performance. Through thoughtful conversations and reflection, it examines authenticity, meaning, and community — and what it takes to live in ways that are personally true, genuinely sustaining, and willing to question inherited definitions of success.
15episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
37. Two Years of The Fertile Dark
2d ago00:54:21Tap to summarizeIn this week's solo episode the Fertile Dark turns two years old and Dan reflects on the journey up to this point. It's been a beautiful and challenging road with several unplanned breaks, but there is a lot of excitement for the future of the show. A tremendous thanks goes out to all of the guests and listeners who have supported and participated along the way. Thank you all for your support, encouragement, and the lessons learned!Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comSubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)The Personal Totem Pole Process, Eligio Stephen Gallegos: https://amzn.to/4fVc03oTools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Mic: https://amzn.to/3LsKiOFAudio Interface (Rodecaster Pro II): https://amzn.to/4q2WdluLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →36. Individual and Social Transformation Using Alchemical Wisdom
2w ago01:33:59Tap to summarizeIn this episode Dan and Charmaine explore the ancient psychospiritual practice of alchemy as a way to explore the process of transformation. They challenge the status quo of quick fixes and individualistic, performance-based culture and look to how inner alchemy can transform individuals and communities.Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comSubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)Tools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Mic: https://amzn.to/3LsKiOFAudio Interface (Rodecaster Pro II): https://amzn.to/4q2WdluLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →35. Rebuilding When Community Fails w/School of Quintessence Community
3w ago01:12:22Tap to summarizeIn a time of increasing isolation, polarization, and disconnection, what does it actually take to cultivate a community rooted in authenticity, trust, and meaningful human connection?In this episode of The Fertile Dark, Dan sits down with Orlene Carlos and Jon Anderson from the School of Quintessence community for a wide-ranging conversation on the realities of building and sustaining intentional community spaces. Together, they explore how communication, ritual, creativity, and conflict shape the health of a collective and influence the ways people learn to show up for one another with honesty and care.Drawing from their lived experience with the School of Quintessence, Orlene and Jon share reflections on creating environments that support vulnerability, emotional awareness, shared responsibility, and genuine belonging. The conversation moves through topics such as circular leadership models, radical honesty, conflict resolution, grief rituals, storytelling, humor, festivals, and the role of art and nature in strengthening communal identity and resilience.Throughout the episode, they examine how rituals and shared experiences help weave trust over time, how open communication can transform moments of tension into opportunities for deeper understanding, and how communities develop their own culture through collective participation and shared values. They also speak candidly about the ongoing and often uncomfortable process of growth that comes with living in close relationship with others.This conversation offers a thoughtful exploration of what it means to build spaces where people can feel seen, supported, challenged, and connected to something larger than themselves. Whether you are cultivating community through education, spirituality, creative work, friendship, or family life, this episode explores practices that help foster deeper connection, emotional resilience, and collective care.Side Note: Unfortunately ,we lost the video footage of the interview.Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comConnect with SoQ:Website: https://www.soqcommunity.orgInstagram: @soqcommunityFacebook: SoQ CommunityYoutube: @SoQCommunitySubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)The Festivals and Their Meaning, Rudolf Steiner: https://amzn.to/4uDq7hTTo Know Higher Worlds, Rudolf Steiner: https://amzn.to/48SG3ofTools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Mic: https://amzn.to/3LsKiOFAudio Interface (Rodecaster Pro II): https://amzn.to/4q2WdluLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →34. Enhancing Wellbeing With Seasonal Celebrations
Apr 3000:56:38Tap to summarizeIn a world that often feels shallow, disconnected, exhausting, and leaves us feeling powerless it can be difficult to find ways to reinvigorate a sense of depth and empowerment. In this episode of the Fertile Dark Dan and Charmaine explore different seasonal celebrations and how we can learn from them to enhance our lived experience individually and in community. At the end they explore how to use seasonal celebrations as a way to reclaim our connection to empowerment and authenticity. Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comSubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)Tools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Mic: https://amzn.to/3LsKiOFAudio Interface (Rodecaster Pro II): https://amzn.to/4q2WdluLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →33. Ways Pop Psychology Helps Us Understand (and Misunderstand) Each Other
Apr 2101:16:04Tap to summarizePop psychology is everywhere—but is it helping us understand ourselves more deeply, or just giving us new ways to misunderstand each other?In this episode of The Fertile Dark, Dan and Charmaine take a nuanced look at the rise of psychological language in everyday life. Terms like “trauma,” “boundaries,” “attachment,” and “narcissism” have become part of the cultural lexicon—but what happens when these concepts are used without context, depth, or responsibility?Together, they explore the tension at the heart of pop psychology: its power to foster self-awareness, connection, and healing—and its tendency to flatten complex human experiences into labels, shortcuts, and sometimes harm.Rather than rejecting pop psychology outright, Dan and Charmaine ask a more important question: How do we engage these tools in a way that deepens our humanity instead of reducing it?This episode is an invitation to move beyond labels and into lived experience—to approach both ourselves and others with greater care, nuance, and responsibility.Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comSubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)Beyond Anxiety, Martha Beck: https://amzn.to/4e1sJkFTools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Camera: https://amzn.to/4tLkX3cLens: https://amzn.to/4t8X19YMic: https://amzn.to/3LsKiOFAudio Interface (Rodecaster Pro II): https://amzn.to/4q2WdluLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →32. The Magic of Poetry
Apr 1401:02:08Tap to summarizePoetry is often treated as something to study or interpret. But at its core, it’s a way of making contact with experience that doesn’t easily fit into ordinary language.In this episode of The Fertile Dark, Dan Warner and Charmaine Fuller explore poetry as a practice of attention, expression, and connection. They discuss how poetry engages emotion, memory, and the body—offering a way to process experiences that can feel difficult to name or resolve directly.Drawing from personal experience and voices like Rumi and Audre Lorde, the conversation looks at poetry as both a personal and cultural tool. Dan and Charmaine explore its role in emotional regulation, its ability to create shared understanding across different lived experiences, and the ways it can help transform grief, love, and longing into something that can be held and communicated.This episode also offers simple, accessible ways to engage poetry in everyday life—whether through writing, reading, or noticing small moments of meaning in the world around you.Poetry isn’t reserved for artists. It’s a way of staying in relationship with what we feel, what we notice, and what we’re still learning how to say.Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comSubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron: https://amzn.to/4snhmI4WIld Unknown Archetypes Deck, Kim Krans: https://amzn.to/41mvrtrWriting Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg: https://amzn.to/4lOR6EfBig Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert: https://amzn.to/4bIBqxsTake Me With You, Andrea Gibson: https://amzn.to/4lORmDdA Thousand Mornings, Mary Oliver: https://amzn.to/4rPJ3IqDevotions, Mary Oliver: https://amzn.to/41mw7itThe Poetic Underground, Erin Hanson: https://amzn.to/4uMwj8fThe Essential Rumi: https://amzn.to/4daHKQVThe House of Belonging, David Whyte: https://amzn.to/4dEmfrJ“The Guest House,” Rumi: https://bit.ly/48rA4X6Tools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Mic: https://amzn.to/3LsKiOFAudio Interface (Rodecaster Pro II): https://amzn.to/4q2WdluLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →31. Curiosity Over Judgement
Apr 701:14:31Tap to summarizeIn the previous episodes, we explored the Hero’s Journey and the Heroine’s Journey as patterns of psychological growth. Both point toward a deeper question: what allows that kind of development to actually take place?In this episode of The Fertile Dark, Dan Warner and Charmaine Fuller turn to a core relational skill—curiosity—and examine how it shapes the way we understand ourselves and engage with others. In a cultural climate that often rewards certainty, quick judgment, and division, curiosity offers a different posture: one that makes connection and learning possible without requiring agreement.The conversation explores how judgment forms, why defensive patterns can block curiosity, and how physiological and emotional reactions influence the way we interpret others. Dan and Charmaine also look at the difference between genuine curiosity and subtle forms of confirmation bias, and how curiosity can be practiced in moments of tension, conflict, and uncertainty.This episode offers a grounded look at curiosity as more than a mindset. It’s a way of relating—to ourselves, to other people, and to perspectives that challenge us—without collapsing into reactivity or disengagement.Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comSubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)No Bad Parts, Richard C. Schwartz: https://amzn.to/4bELzeCYou Are The One You’ve Been Waiting For, Richard C. Schwartz: https://amzn.to/3Pqu5eIIntimacy From The Inside Out, Toni Herbine-Blank: https://amzn.to/47Nz7IiTools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Mic: https://amzn.to/4smzbaAMicrophone Preamp: https://amzn.to/4pfNISVAudio Interface: https://amzn.to/45w8qGQLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →30. The Heroine's Journey
Mar 3101:20:44Tap to summarizeIn our previous episode, we explored the Hero’s Journey as a path of growth shaped by challenge, responsibility, and return. But for many people, that framework doesn’t fully account for the experience of disconnection that can develop along the way.In this episode of The Fertile Dark, Dan Warner and Charmaine Fuller turn to the work of Maureen Murdock to explore the Heroine’s Journey as a process of return, recovery, and integration. Rather than moving outward toward achievement, this journey often begins with a separation from the feminine—adapting to systems that reward productivity, independence, and external success, while distancing from intuition, embodiment, and relationship.The conversation examines how that split can lead to exhaustion, grief, or a persistent sense that something is missing. It also looks at the slow work of reclaiming what was set aside—healing the mother wound, reconnecting with the body, and restoring relationship with the inner and outer world.Dan and Charmaine explore the cyclical nature of this process, the role of community and ritual, and the importance of integrating both masculine and feminine aspects of the psyche. This episode offers a grounded look at what it means to move beyond achievement alone and toward a more whole and sustainable way of being.Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comSubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)The Heroine’s Journey, Marueen Murdock: https://amzn.to/4lKHLgkDescent to the Goddess, Sylvia Brinton Perera: https://amzn.to/4uNpxPzUntamed, Glennon Doyle: https://amzn.to/4lLGXryDaring Greatly, Brené Brown: https://amzn.to/4d4YlFITools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Mic: https://amzn.to/4smzbaAMicrophone Preamp: https://amzn.to/4pfNISVAudio Interface: https://amzn.to/45w8qGQLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →29. The Hero's Journey
Mar 2401:25:36Tap to summarizeThe Hero’s Journey is often understood as a storytelling framework, but its deeper significance lies in what it reveals about human development.In this episode of The Fertile Dark, Dan Warner and Charmaine Fuller explore the Hero’s Journey as an internal process—one that moves beyond external achievement and into the psychological work required for maturity, responsibility, and integration. Drawing on the work of Joseph Campbell, they examine the core stages of the journey—separation, initiation, and return—and how these patterns show up in real life.The conversation looks at the resistance many people feel when growth is required, the role of dissonance and disillusionment as catalysts for change, and the necessity of facing what has been avoided. It also challenges the idea of the solitary hero, emphasizing the importance of mentors, community, and relationship in navigating transformation.Dan and Charmaine explore the archetype of the king, including its shadow expressions, and the importance of integrating both masculine and feminine aspects of the psyche. They also discuss how myth, story, and connection to nature can serve as practical tools for engaging the journey in everyday life.This episode offers a grounded look at what it means to move from comfort into growth—and to return with something that contributes not only to personal development, but to the communities we’re part of.Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comSubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell: https://amzn.to/40JB5pkThe Hero Within, Carol Pearson: https://amzn.to/4rRY6BAAwakening the Heroes Within, Carol Pearson: https://amzn.to/4bLYifLThe Rites of Passage, Arnold Van Gennep: https://amzn.to/3NzhuoSTools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Mic: https://amzn.to/4smzbaAMicrophone Preamp: https://amzn.to/4pfNISVAudio Interface: https://amzn.to/45w8qGQLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →28. Performative Spirituality
Feb 1301:08:33Tap to summarizeIn a culture saturated with spiritual language, how do we tell the difference between lived wisdom and spiritual performance?In this episode of The Fertile Dark, Dan and Charmaine explore the phenomenon of performative spirituality—where insight is spoken but not embodied, emotion is mistaken for transformation, and spiritual authority is claimed without the inner work to support it. Drawing from personal experience, psychology, and cultural observation, they examine how spiritual performance can show up in religious spaces, healing communities, and modern spiritual culture alike.The conversation looks at why performative spirituality is so compelling, how it can create unhealthy power dynamics, and the ways it preys—often unintentionally—on people who are seeking healing, belonging, or meaning. Rather than dismissing spirituality itself, this episode makes a clear distinction between expression and embodiment, performance and practice.This is a grounded, honest exploration for anyone who has felt disillusioned by spiritual spaces, confused by charisma, or quietly wondering whether their own spiritual life is rooted in depth—or display.Connect with us:Instagram: @thefertiledarkpodcast Facebook: The Fertile Dark Podcast YouTube: @thefertiledarkEmail: fertildark@gmail.comSubscribe, rate, and review The Fertile Dark on your favorite podcast platform. Share your thoughts and questions with us for future episodes. Let's continue exploring ways to enrich our lives on the journey of personal transformation and self-discovery!———————————————————————Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.References: (Affiliate links to Amazon)Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path, Connie Zweig: https://amzn.to/4rf75NsWild Mind, Bill Plotkin: https://amzn.to/4qqn1vuSpiritual Bypassing, Robert Augustus Masters: https://amzn.to/4aNP430The Shadow King, Sidra Stone PhD: https://amzn.to/3MzzyOWTools I Use (Affiliate links to Amazon)My go to tarot deck: https://amzn.to/3N98o1kMy favorite card deck: https://amzn.to/4joVAQAMy journal: https://amzn.to/4qAFZjjMy pen of choice: https://amzn.to/3MYImhjFor the gear heads (Affiliate links to Amazon)Mic: https://amzn.to/4smzbaAMicrophone Preamp: https://amzn.to/4pfNISVAudio Interface: https://amzn.to/45w8qGQLow profile boom arm: https://amzn.to/3Nbt8WhKey light: https://amzn.to/3NpN5ZtLantern Softbox: https://amzn.to/3KVSiYtDesk mount Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4bkP1MKRGB accent light: https://amzn.to/3Lj2KcpMy Computer: https://amzn.to/3KVSKWFContinuity Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/4aGVvpeBack light: https://amzn.to/4qBoCihDisclaimer:The content provided in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.
Transcribe →