The Existential Ginger

On February 21, 2023, the United States Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) released a statement announcing that they would be charging the investment wing of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (ope that’s the Mormons) for essentially being super dishonest with money under a non-profit wing of the church called Ensign Peak. I briefly break down (to my understanding) how the Mormon church broke the law and what the SEC's "punishment" to the church was. While this certainly isn't the first time that the Mormon Church has done something sketchy or dishonest (nor will it be the last), I talk about why I don't think this particular instance will have a direct affect on church membership retention. I share one example of experiencing maaaaajor cognitive dissonance as a Mormon and why I still stayed devout, even when something felt "off."Lastly, I pull an affirmation card from Spirit Junkie by Gabrielle Bernstein (snag your own deck here: Spirit Junkie)Read the press release from the SEC here.Enjoy & stay rad! - Charisse**Listener discretion is advised due to adult language and potential religious trauma triggers.Find all my links here.The Existential Ginger podcast is executive produced by White Horse Media Group, LLC.

Welcome to Season 4, I guess? Warning: lots of tears in this episode. I explain why it's been difficult to consistently put out episodes over the last year (and why that might not be changing any time soon....). I share what I'm grieving, with a tangent on how awkward & NOT well our culture handles grief in general. Cosmic coincidences = the term I now use to describe what my former, Mormon self would have called Divine Intervention or "God's hand in my life" - I share my own recent cosmic coincidence, as well as read/listen to feedback + stories I received on social media. Lastly, I pull an oracle card for us from The Moon Deck (snag your own here: Moon Deck )Enjoy & take exquisite care of yourself! - Charisse**Listener discretion is advised due to adult language, discussion of death of a pet, and potential religious trauma triggers.Find all my links here.The Existential Ginger podcast is executive produced by White Horse Media Group, LLC.

2023 has entered the chat...In this short & sweet episode, Charisse gets personal with how 2022 went for her and what she plants on tweaking going into the New Year. She leaves the listener with some thoughts on how we all "recharge" our metaphorical batteries and how that's equally important, but drastically different than "resting" our metaphorical batteries.Catch some sneak peeks of what's to come on the podcast, as well as Charisse's word/theme for 2023.**Listener discretion is advised due to adult language.** This episode is brought to you in part by The ExMo Candle Co. https://exmocandles.com/candles/the-existential-ginger/View all of Charisse's links here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialgingerThe Existential Ginger podcast is executive produced by White Horse Media Group, LLC.

Manfriend (aka Kyle) is back and joins Charisse, along with Greg Sterner and Abby Sterner of the Sterner Stuff Brand Podcast for a fun & philisophical discussion surrounding morality & ethics. Find the tail end of our conversation, including Greg & Abby's questions for Manfriend and Charisse, on the Sterner Stuff Brand Podcast (found wherever you listen to rad podcasts).Questions explored and examined in this episode:What does morality look like without a religious or dogmatic system? How can we as humans coexist in a world where we can't all agree on what constitutes eithical or unethical behavior? Can a person's art, work, or products be separated from their moral failings? and More!**Listener discretion is advised due to adult language.** This episode is brought to you in part by The ExMo Candle Co. https://exmocandles.com/candles/the-existential-ginger/View all of Charisse's links here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialgingerThe Existential Ginger podcast is executive produced by White Horse Media Group, LLC.

**Apologies for my worn-out, tired-sounding voice! It’s still recovering from recent bouts of Covid and RSV and isn’t quite back to normal. Hope you love the episode! - Charisse**This episode wraps up the mini series of BIG, scary existential questions with the final and arguably most daunting of the 3: Where Do We Go? In other words: where do we go when we die (if anywhere)? Sounds dreary, we know, but the goal of this episode is to explore various cultural, religious, and scientific theories surrounding death & an afterlife, as well as examine the ways in which our beliefs about death change the way we live.What happens to our soul and body when we die?What is a “soul,” really and where does it live in the body?Do our personalities and memories transcend death? Can they be transferred to our posterity or people who receive organ donations from us? Does the way we treat the body after death affect the soul’s ability to navigate the afterlife? Is a belief in a god necessary for a belief in life after death?Charisse explores possible answers to these questions and more, leaning on scientific research, personal accounts, cultural funerary & burial practices, and theological doctrines. Charisse shares how her belief in the Mormon (aka The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Plan of Happiness affected her faith during her divorce, including petitioning for a sealing cancellation (also called a Temple Divorce). The episode concludes with Charisse’s current, personal beliefs on death and the possibility of an afterlife. **Listener discretion is advised due to adult language, mention of suicide, and overall discussion of death, including brief, medical descriptions of decomposition.View sources and research for this and other episodes of the podcast here:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jhaTPhoNlSOaLm0hqxM2ALqiHW4gzV1J56rlibIJ8fw/edit?usp=sharing This episode is brought to you in part by The ExMo Candle Co. https://exmocandles.com/candles/the-existential-ginger/View all of Charisse's links here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialgingerThe Existential Ginger podcast is executive produced by White Horse Media Group, LLC.

Joined by Evidential Medium, Emily Jane (of Wild Heart Mediumship), Charisse explores some of the possibilities of where we go after we die in this emotionally-packed episode. Emily shares her story of connecting with her late father, her motivations for developing mediumship herself, and how her views of death have drastically changed since her own Mormon upbringing.Who knew talking about death could be so uplifting, fun, and filled with love? Grab a Blasphemous Beverage and prepare yourself to think of death in a whole new way with Emily and Charisse.*Listener discretion is advised due to adult language, brief mention of suicide, and potential religious trauma triggers.Learn more about Emily & book a session with her here: https://www.wildheartmediumship.com/Emily's TikTok handle: @wildheartmediumshipMegan Alisa's (Emily's Mentor) TikTok handle: @meganalisamedium Learn more about mediumship courses (including the one Emily mentions in the episode) here: https://www.oakbridgeinstitute.org/ This episode is brought to you in part by The ExMo Candle Co. https://exmocandles.com/candles/the-existential-ginger/View all of Charisse's links here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialgingerThe Existential Ginger podcast is executive produced by White Horse Media Group, LLC.

"Manfriend" (aka Charisse's boyfriend) makes a special appearance as co-host for the second installment of our mini series concerning life's big, existential questions. He chimes in with commentary on various philosophical answers to "Why are we here," as well as putting in his own two cents on the subject, AND we learn from him what it's like dating an ExMormon in the episode's #CultureShockSegment.Charisse and Manfriend discuss the following philosophical and religious answers to Why are were here (amongst others):- Confucianism- Nihilism - Absurdism- Daoism - Existentialism (obviously)- Mormonism (obviously)- Methodist & Baptist Christianity- Platonism - Kantianism - Pragmaticism Listener discretion is advised due to adult language and audible drunkenness (sorry, Mom).This episode is brought to you in part by The ExMo Candle Co. https://exmocandles.com/candles/the-existential-ginger/View all of Charisse's links here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialgingerThe Existential Ginger podcast is executive produced by White Horse Media Group, LLC.

(Apologies for the echo in the audio this week. Charisse's mic wasn't plugged in and she didn't realize it until she was done recording #RookieMistake)There's no beating around the bush so we're diving into the first of the three BIG, scary, existential questions: where do we come from? (But is it really THAT big & scary?) Charisse examines some of the various theological, philosophical, and scientific answers to this question that have come from all over the world. From creation stories to a Birds and Bees breakdown, this episode looks at the question from all different angles!Listener discretion is advised due to adult language. This episode is brought to you in part by The ExMo Candle Co. https://exmocandles.com/candles/the-existential-ginger/View all of Charisse's links here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialgingerThe Existential Ginger podcast is executive produced by White Horse Media Group, LLC.

Charisse is BACK for another season! The break was way longer than intended, but the time away gave her plenty to think about. The podcast will be pivoting a little going into this new season, with new topics being discussed and a new format for guest episodes. Logo Caricature Art by Karen Romero: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KaruDrawsView all of Charisse's links here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger

"Self-care" is a buzz phrase right now and since we're all experiencing a global burnout thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic (not to mention work burnout, parental/care-giver burnout, social media burnout, religious burnout, etc), Charisse breaks down exactly how burnout affects us and how self-care can help us cope with burnout. She unpacks what caring for yourself really means, beyond the commercialized, monetized, and Instagram photo-worthy #selfcare movement, including ways you can discover what taking care of & preserving your self looks like for YOU.Listener discretion is advised due to adult language. Find Charisse on the socials by searching for "The Existential Ginger." View Merch, Charisse's Patreon perks, and more here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger Brought to you by White Horse Media Grouphttps://therealwhmg.com/ SOURCEShttps://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/27/1-in-3-women-are-considering-leaving-the-workforce-or-changing-jobs.html https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2022/01/25/1075115539/the-great-resignation-more-like-the-great-renegotiation

Join Charisse as she recaps 2021 and looks forward to the New Year, including a revisit to all her guests' answers to what they think the meaning of life is. Charisse also gives her best attempt at answering her own question, with a little help from Dr. Viktor Frankl. Listener discretion is advised due to adult language. Find Charisse on the socials by searching for "The Existential Ginger." View Merch, Charisse's Patreon perks, and more here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger Brought to you by White Horse Media Grouphttps://therealwhmg.com/

Casey and Sam from Growing Up Christian podcast join Charisse in this light-hearted and fun conversation about transitioning out of different Christian denominations. Casey and Sam both attended Liberty University (a private Evangelical university), where they met and started to doubt their fundamentalist Christian upbringings. Years later, they reconnected and started a podcast to discover and share stories of Growing Up (and in a lot of cases, leaving) Christianity. Discussion topics in this episode include:- Are Jehovah’s Witnesses actually the strangest Christian denomination?- The relief of no longer feeling morally obligated to proselytize & evangelize- The White Savior Complex masquerading behind Christian mission trips- How leaving fundamentalist Christianity has changed views around relationships, marriage, parenting, and the LGBTQ+ community - How Growing Up Christian got started as a podcast- Do mainstream Christians have a persecution kink?Listener discretion is advised due to adult language.Follow Casey & Sam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growingupchristianpodcast/Listen to Growing Up Christian, available on all major podcast platforms!Find Charisse on the socials by searching for “The Existential Ginger.”View merch, explore Charisse's Patreon perks, and more here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger Brought to you by White Horse Media Group https://therealwhmg.com/

Witches and Wiccans and Pagans - Oh my! Charisse breaks down a belief system that she previously feared and misunderstood in this solo episode. That’s right, folks, this is what your Pastors and Bishops warned you about: we’re diving head-first into who witches are, what they believe (as well as what they don’t believe), and whether or not Charisse is ready to “convert” to witchcraft. Topics include:- Devil worship (is that really a thing witches do?)- Sabbats (not to be confused with “Sabbaths.”)- Tarot and oracle cards- Crystals- Pagan deities- Magic (or is it “magick?”) & spells- and MORE!We hope that this episode shines some Light and Love on a community that has been historically misunderstood and villainized. Blessed be!Follow Kay The Krystal Witch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kthecrystalwitch/ Find Charisse on the socials by searching for “The Existential Ginger.”View merch, explore Charisse's Patreon perks, and more here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger Brought to you by White Horse Media Grouphttps://therealwhmg.com/ Sources & Recommendations for this Episode:“The Moon Book: Lunar Magic to Change Your Life” by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener“The Way of the Witch: A Path to Spirituality and Self-Empowerment” by Sally Morningstar“The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch” by Deborah Blake“Moon Magic: A Handbook of Lunar Cycles, Lore, and Mystical Energies” by Aurora Kane“How to Read Tarot: A Modern Guide” by Jessica Wiggan“Cats, Tea, and Witchcraft” podcast (available on all platforms)“Comfy Cozy Witch” podcast (available on all platforms)Kay the Crystal Witch: https://www.instagram.com/kthecrystalwitch/

Rachel and Leah from the Hashtag History podcast join Charisse in an informative discussion about American Indian Boarding Schools - from their purpose, to their history, to their impact. While it’s certainly a dark topic, we all feel strongly that it’s an important one to raise awareness around. After the rum from our Blasphemous Beverage kicked in, all 3 ladies agree that while some history should never be repeated, we wouldn’t be mad if certain 90s trends from our childhoods make a permanent comeback.Listener discretion is advised due to the enjoyment of alcohol, discussion of various forms of abuse to children, and adult language.Be sure to support Rachel & Leah here: https://linktr.ee/HashtagHistory Resources for This Episode:Find which Indigenous Nation(s) lived where you are → https://native-land.ca/ Support the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition → https://boardingschoolhealing.org/ Find Charisse on the socials by searching for “The Existential Ginger.”View merch, checkout the new Patreon page, and listen to Charisse on other podcasts here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger Brought to you by White Horse Media Grouphttps://therealwhmg.com/

As Charisse has mentioned before, she’s a descendant of *Mormon Pioneers, who walked across the midwestern United States in the mid 1850s to escape religious persecution and “settle” the Salt Lake valley (spoiler alert: there were already people living there long before the Mormons arrived). In this episode, she dives into HOW early Mormons were received by the general public, WHY Mormons felt compelled to move their families to the then-wild west, and HOW life looked for all people living in the land we now know as Utah once the Mormons arrived. Whether you know anything about Mormon pioneers or Utah's history, this episode covers the basics along with some things even Charisse didn't know about her own heritage. This episode is not intended to be an expose on early Mormon Church history, but rather, an examination of the narrative Charisse was taught about her ancestors juxtaposed with other historical records. *The Mormon church is formally known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsListener discretion is advised due to enjoyment of alcohol, adult language, and brief descriptions of historical violent events.Discover your own family history at https://www.familysearch.org/en/ (Please note that this domain is owned & operated by the Mormon Church)Find Charisse on the socials by searching for “The Existential Ginger.”View merch, checkout the new Patreon page, and listen to Charisse on other podcasts here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger Brought to you by White Horse Media Grouphttps://therealwhmg.com/ -SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE -http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/ny/miscNYC2.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_polygamy_in_the_United_States https://www.loc.gov/item/12020459/ https://utahcommhistory.com/2017/04/27/the-edmunds-act-of-1882/ https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/132?lang=eng http://ilovehistory.utah.gov/people/groups/immigrants/mormons/index.html https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/journey-martins-cove-mormon-handcart-tragedy-1856 https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/mormons-utah/ https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/mountain-meadows-massacre?lang=eng&cid=14503511667&adlang=eng&source=google&network=x&gclid=CjwKCAjwoP6LBhBlEiwAvCcthM7TIUjz_JgEwBTaaXFLyLyzwmEE_MF4I7oZ02TA_Wd0_GGLwW9vCBoCVqYQAvD_BwE&gclid=CjwKCAjwoP6LBhBlEiwAvCcthM7TIUjz_JgEwBTaaXFLyLyzwmEE_MF4I7oZ02TA_Wd0_GGLwW9vCBoCVqYQAvD_BwE “The West: An Illustrated History” by Geoffrey C. Ward“An Indiginous Peoples’ History of the United States” by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Charisse is joined (again) by the wonderful Lindsay Helm (see below for link to Lindsay’s episode from season 1)! Lindsay’s back to talk about her finished memoir, “Vixen: From Mormon Convert to LDS Apostate;” the writing process, the catharsis of concluding, the editing process, and the exciting release! Regardless of your knowledge or affiliation with the Mormon Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), we’re confident you’ll love hearing from Lindsay again AND be thoroughly touched by her memoir.Listener discretion is advised due to adult language and potential religious trauma triggers.Listen to Lindsay’s episode from Season 1 of The Existential Ginger: https://www.spreaker.com/user/whitehorsemediagroup/teg-1-04-lindsey-helm Follow Lindsay:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/linds.helm/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lindsayhelmwriter Find Charisse on the socials by searching for “The Existential Ginger.”View merch, checkout the new Patreon page, and listen to Charisse on other podcasts here: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger Brought to you by White Horse Media Grouphttps://therealwhmg.com/

Charisse kicks off Season 2 with this special Ask Me Anything episode! She answers YOUR questions, which cover everything from sex to the controversial sandwich vs hotdog debacle.Have a burning question for Charisse? Send it over to TheExistentialGinger@Gmail.com Follow & Support the show: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger

Kelsey is a therapist and educator who specializes in supporting those going through religious deconstruction and/or working through the effects of spiritual abuse. She joins me in this episode for an important conversation surrounding one of my favorite things: THERAPY! We cover how to know if therapy would be helpful to you, where to start when it comes to finding your perfect-fit therapist, resources that can help with funding, how to gauge when therapy is working for you, and specifics when it comes to religious trauma recovery-related therapy. Regardless of where you are with therapy, Kelsey and I hope this episode helps alleviate some of the stress and stigma around seeking out and utilizing therapy.Listener discretion is advised due to adult language and potential religious trauma triggers.Connect with Kelsey:Instagram: @kelseyhoff.counsellingWebsite: www.kelseyhoffcounselling.com Email: info@kelseyhoffcounselling.com RESOURCES:https://journeyfree.org/https://www.reclamationcollective.com/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists https://www.therapyden.com/ https://openpathcollective.org/https://affordabletherapynetwork.com/ Follow and Support the Show:https://linktr.ee/theexistentialgingerUse My Smile Direct Link & Get A Discount:https://fbuy.io/smileus/q7zf3z5r This podcast is brought to you by White Horse Media Group:https://therealwhmg.com/

Solo episodes return with this followup episode to Identity Crisis & Sense of Self (released on Feb 25, 2021). I dive into why community & belonging are not only things we strive for, but actual human NEEDS (according to research by Dr. Brene Brown and others) and why it’s so damn painful when we lose our communities through the process of leaving a religion, getting divorced, or going through a global pandemic. Can/should the communities we had in our former faiths be replaced? How do we find belonging within ourselves? Can we have a community without belonging? I dive into all these questions and more in this episode! Also, #CultureShock Segment is BACK and I’m revealing my first post-Mormon coffee-drinking experience.Listener discretion is advised due to adult language.Follow and Support the Show:https://linktr.ee/theexistentialginger Use My Smile Direct Link & Get A Discount:https://fbuy.io/smileus/q7zf3z5r Angela Morris Community Post:https://www.instagram.com/p/CQJecZtHZdn/ Micah J Murray Community Video: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CLUnk5PjySl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Vox Article on Secular Communities:https://www.vox.com/first-person/2019/6/4/18644764/church-religion-atheism-secularism Quit Mormon Events for Faith Transitions:quitmormon.com/events 10% of 2021 Profits from The Existential Ginger Will be Donated to The Trevor Project (The lovely ladies at Moms and Mayhem Podcast will be matching our donation): https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ This podcast is brought to you by White Horse Media Group:https://therealwhmg.com/

Join Celeste and I as we discuss the book “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by Yuval Noah Harari, which we both recently read and enjoyed! Celeste is a fellow former Mormon who uses beautifully- articulated essays to process her faith deconstruction. Reading “Sapiens” caused us both to confront numerous narratives we were taught about the human species both in our former religion, as well as in our societal culture. We break down our biggest takeaways from the book, the things that made our heads hurt, and aspects we experienced dissonance with. Whether you’ve read the book or not, we hope you enjoy our banter about how our views have changed about humans!Follow Celeste and her essays:https://www.instagram.com/celestemdavis/Follow & Support the Show: https://linktr.ee/theexistentialgingerBuy your copy of "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari here https://amzn.to/3bVmH49This podcast is Executive Produced by White Horse Media Group: https://therealwhmg.com