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Mystical Mermaid Lounge
Where Apollo Meets Astrocartography: One Witch's Awakening
Have you ever followed an intuitive pull toward a place or practice that later revealed itself as part of your spiritual destiny? Ashley Brown's journey from Tumblr-browsing teenager to confident witch is a testament to trusting those subtle nudges from the universe.
Details
Ashley, founder of Nerdventures travel company, shares how her spiritual path began with secretly borrowed books and blossomed into a nature-based practice deeply connected to the land around her Florida home. Despite her Roman Catholic upbringing, Ashley found herself drawn to witchcraft's welcoming embrace, gradually developing rituals that feel authentic rather than prescribed. Her story illustrates how our spiritual practices evolve when we release the pressure to "do it right" and simply follow what resonates.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Ashley describes her visit to Delphi, Greece—a journey that unexpectedly became a profound spiritual awakening. Standing in Apollo's temple, she experienced an overwhelming sense of connection and joy, particularly remarkable given her usual aversion to the sun. Months later, an astrocartography reading revealed her sun line runs directly through Greece, suggesting this location naturally enhances her sense of self. These meaningful "coincidences" confirm what many spiritual seekers discover: sometimes our souls know our path long before our conscious minds catch up.
Whether you're a practicing witch, a curious seeker, or simply someone who loves travel with deeper meaning, Ashley's wisdom offers a refreshing perspective. Her advice? Keep it simple, follow what naturally draws you, and don't feel pressured to do everything at once. Connect with us at mysticalmermaidelounge.buzzsprout.com and share how her journey resonates with your own spiritual explorations.
Contacts and References
Email: ashley@nerdventurestravel.com
Website: Nerdventures – Pop-culture travel
InstaGram: @nerdventures_travel
Facebook: Nerdventures
Natural Magick by Sally Dubats
Shameless Promotions
Chloe Brown is the graphic artist behind all of the Mermaids’ delightfully whimsical branded reels, stories and picture posts on social. Contact her at MysticalMermaidLounge@yahoo.com for artistic consultation and design work.
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Welcome to the Mystical Mermaid Lounge podcast, a space where all spiritual seekers are honored and celebrated. This podcast was born from the journeys of your hosts, who have each faced her own dark night of the sun, but they've emerged with an unshakable belief in divine connection, cosmic inspiration and her true life's calling. Join us on a journey of personal growth, transformation and magical self-discovery. Your first co-host is Chloe Brown, a gifted intuitive empath and shadow work life coach. Your second co-host is Keoni Starr, an intuitive energy worker and acclaimed past life regressionist. The Mystical Mermaid Lounge podcast starts now. The podcast starts now. Hello, this is Keone, and today, on the Mystical Mermaid Lounge, we are diving into a conversation that blends enchantment, joy and sacred exploration, with a truly magical guest.
Speaker 1:Please welcome Ashley Brown, a pop culture travel expert, creative soul and devoted witch who has been studying the craft since high school and practicing for the past five years. Ashley is the founder of Nerd Ventures, where she turns fandom dreams into real-life travel experiences rooted in imagination and wonder. But behind the business magic is a deeply personal spiritual journey, one that's led her from the pages of spellbooks to sacred sites like Delphi, where she connected with ancient energies that forever changed her practice. Ashley's path is grounded in nature-based spirituality, drawn to the earth's rhythms and the deep wisdom found in land, myth and intuition, and I am so happy to have you here, ashley. I was so fortunate to get to meet you in a container that Chloe and I did. She's also on the podcast with me today, and that container has changed my life just by the very people that I got to meet, including you. I am so thankful that you are with us today.
Speaker 2:Thanks so much for having me, guys. I'm really excited to be here.
Speaker 1:I am so excited to interview you. I have more questions than we have time for. That just means you'll have to come back, but with all of the information that we gave you about Ashley's really amazing sounding business Nerd Ventures which I just dig that name, Thank you. I like, I'm like that. That is me when I just take a drive downtown, but that is a total nerd venture. But please tell us all about your spiritual journey, because and I just have to tell everyone this before Ashley begins, I just have to tell everyone this before Ashley begins she was probably one of the youngest people in the container and also the most grounded out of all of us. We'd all be overthinking and Ashley's just have fun with it. People, Yep. And that so spoke to me. I thought, oh my gosh, I love that. I love somebody who could just say you guys are making this so hard, so you go, you go tell us about your spiritual journey.
Speaker 2:Sure. So, like you mentioned in my intro there, I started studying witchcraft in high school and I feel like this is really going to date me as a millennial, but it really started because of Tumblr and I had an account on there and every now and then witchy things would pop up.
Speaker 2:I'm like, oh, this is interesting. And I was always a Harry Potter kid at heart. So with Tumblr I actually created an account and it was all witchcraft based, like anything that I found interesting, I would just re-blog. I'd created an account and it was all witchcraft based, like anything that I found interesting, I would just read blog. I'd read it. I'd be like this is kind of cool. And I did more research and I found a spiritual shop that was in my hometown and I went and checked it out and I was like, oh my God, I'm not supposed to be here.
Speaker 2:Like I was raised very Roman Catholic, so you know big no, no there and I was like, oh my God, I'm going to a spiritual shop, pull up and it's just so nice and peaceful, there's incense. It's run by two old ladies who were very kind. They had a book library and I grabbed one of the books I like, secretly read it for a couple of months before returning it. I do have it is. It's called natural magic by Sally Dubot. That was a very good entry level book for me. It gave me all the basics that I needed and I never forgot it. And so ever since then it's been very off with my practice.
Speaker 2:So I was in high school, went to college, so it was very much reading things. I really got heavily into meditation in college, trying a couple spells. Some were flops, some work too well, and really I would only start calling myself a witch over about the last five years or so, and that's because up until then it was really just studying and learning. I wasn't really doing anything. I didn't really have a practice, and even now my practice is very basic. But it's been a very long journey. But now I'm like all right, now I'm doing the things, now I have rituals. I have some sort of overarching beliefs to the stomach. That's just personally. Personally, I felt like I needed, so it's been a journey, but now we're here.
Speaker 1:So what made you outside of Tumblr? And I remember my daughter was so irritated when she found out I found out about Tumblr. She was like, oh, people are ruining this. This was for my generation. This was for my generation. Outside of that, what did you think about the Roman Catholic upbringing that either did or didn't resonate with you? That attracted you to witchcraft?
Speaker 2:So I just never felt wholly connected to it wholly so. I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church, so I knew all the rituals, all the things about Jesus, all the love, all that, but I never felt connected to it. It was always just there, something I did and honestly not to offend too many people I just felt like there was always a lot of hypocrisy going around with what they tell you should believe and what you're doing and what I actually saw people doing. So that was a big thing for me personally and I was like I don't really buy with this, not for me. And also I don't like being in churches. I do not find them warm or welcoming. I find them very intimidating and cold.
Speaker 2:Now, if you go to Europe, there are some very beautiful churches. I will say that they're gorgeous. You know the artwork, the architecture, but I just never felt at home there. So when I started learning about witchcraft, it was just very laid back, very casual, very welcoming. You can just come in and find a practice that works for you. So I just felt it just felt nicer to me.
Speaker 1:You know that's funny. You say that I agree with you a hundred percent, whether it's more of like the low key, more modern churches or the older cathedrals that you're right Absolutely. Especially, oh my gosh, the ones in Europe are just to die for they have people buried in the grounds there but it's still a very large institutional cold feeling, I think. And in fact some of those churches and, ashley, you probably know, being into travel as your business, a lot of those churches in Europe you stand the whole time You're in, you stand, you're out, especially the Roman Catholic basis. So there is not a lot of time to get in there and really commune with people. It's really a ritualistic type of setup. So the fact that you felt that warmth and that comforting feeling when you visited that metaphysical shop in town doesn't surprise me.
Speaker 2:And every time I go in one I just smile and I'm like oh, so nice to be here, just feels so, it feels so right being in one so it feels so right being in one and that book that you chose natural magic is such a earth-based sounding book.
Speaker 1:I believe I read that a popular one yeah, I happen to come across it. I feel like I've I'm, a walking anthology. I feel like I've read so many books I don't I can't even remember all of them and to the specific authors, which isn't doing that much service actually. But with that, it speaks to your connection with nature, so do you want to talk about that?
Speaker 2:Sure, when I was younger it really wasn't there, because I grew up in Florida and most of the times I went outside were over the summer, when we weren't in school. And summer Florida is really hot and gross and I still don't like it. So as a kid I did not care. I was like I'll look at it, it's pretty great. But now, as an adult, I have much more of a respect for nature and just the overall need to really protect it.
Speaker 2:But, traveling also really opened my eyes to just the natural beauty of the world. A couple of places that come to mind are Peru. I went there a couple of years ago. I saw Machu Picchu. I didn't know what to expect, but when you are up there in the Andes Mountains it is just absolutely awe-inspiring and you look around you and you just see how small you are on top of these mountains and just the raw beauty of nature. And then a couple of years ago, which I know we'll touch on later, I was able to visit Delphi in Greece, and that was another place way up in the mountains, which I'm a Florida girl but I am a bit more of a mountain girl Like I feel at home in the mountains. And so really, just from my experiences traveling and just seeing the beauty of the world, that's something that I really connect with.
Speaker 2:And what I've been trying to do a lot more recently is having a deeper connection with the seasons especially in Florida, we don't really get many seasons here, but this was the first year that I actually really picked up on spring, which is very short lasting in Florida because it goes from our winter, which is 60 degrees Fahrenheit. So it's actually really lovely in Florida during winter my favorite season here and then you maybe get a month of spring where you're not dying in the heat. So now it's May and it's already 89, 90 degrees, so I never really noticed it. But now I have my own house. Before I was always with my parents or an apartment, so I never took the time to really connect with the land around me. So now that I am in a house I am really trying to focus on having a deeper connection with the land itself, so I've been able to really tap into the season. So this is the first time.
Speaker 2:I actually really feel like I noticed spring happening because I would go outside in the mornings. The second I moved in I found a tree on our property that is our guardian, that's our tree that has protected land. This house we've been on started leaving offerings just around that tree, just like leftover food scraps for the animals, trying to take care of the creatures that are here. If I pray to a deity for protection, that's where I'll go to leave an offering of thanks. Sometimes I might alter. I've been trying to build a deeper connection with land around me. So this year I actually saw spring happening, Like I was out there in the morning. I saw all the leaves come back on the trees and actually noticed it happen. And I noticed all the birds are flying around a lot more, being a lot more chatty than usual.
Speaker 2:So just picking up on those energies was really nice and gratifying for me.
Speaker 3:Nature can definitely be. I know all the time that it is my church, so I love that you talk about that. And as somebody who did my A school in Florida and you were talking about seasons, my first thought was what seasons in Florida? So I love that you said that.
Speaker 2:They're very, very subtle here and the true Floridian will be able to pick up the second. It starts to change to fall, which is even like more subtle than spring. It really it just draws. I think it'll just drop below a certain degree and I, immediately I walk outside I'm like, oh my God, it's happening Like we're starting to go into fall. It's still going to be another two months of heat, but I can tell it's starting to change.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I have a question about the land in Florida that you're feeling this connection to. It feels like Florida does go through a lot of tumultuous earthy events. Do you feel that in that area, do you feel like you're trying to? I love that you brought up the tree and how it helped protect, and so I love it sounds like you found a safe space and that this land is going to protect you the same that you're going to protect it. What lessons have you learned already? It sounds like it's fairly new, but could you talk about that a little bit more?
Speaker 2:It is very new. I will say this is the safest spot in the town that we live in. Last year we got hit really hard by hurricanes and the majority of the city that we're in got flooded, got crazy fires happening Because of flooding. It was a mess and it was an incredibly stressful period.
Speaker 2:We have back to back hurricanes and we are in the one part of town that does not flood, so we were very lucky that our house was basically it was completely unharmed. We lost the palm tree, which my boyfriend was very sad about, but that's all we had done For me. It's very gratifying because I feel like I'm doing something right. The second I moved in, I wanted to just be able to take care of the land.
Speaker 1:Show that hey.
Speaker 2:I'm here to take care of you. Please take care of me, just trying to build a very symbiotic relationship there. But actually during that hurricane season was the first time I did a warding spell and it was because I was so nervous and stressed about all these hurricanes coming. And this is an older Florida home. It's like 50 years old. So, yes, it's strong, it's the test of time. But for me, I'm always waiting for that to end, because things get older, they get weaker. So I was very nervous and I have a cat.
Speaker 1:So I was worried about protecting her, protecting our home.
Speaker 2:We were going to be traveling, so I did my first warding spell. I was worried about protecting her, protecting our home. We were going to be traveling, so I did my first warding spell and I was walking around the house, walked around three times with I forget what exactly I had. I think I had some water, maybe some salt, something to represent each element, and you kind of flicked it around your house and you walked around it clockwise and I had an incantation I said to ask for protection. It was a quiet time of day, it was first thing in the morning. The winds were blowing, which I really connect with the elements of wind. I love wind, I find it so cleansing and just I was really enjoying it being there for me. So I just really tapped into all that energy. So I asked the tree for protection. I did the ward and our house was fine. And then another part of that was me actually reaching out to Freya for the first time. I've never really worked with her before. I haven't worked with many deities.
Speaker 2:I come from a Catholic background, so I love them I love mythology, but working with them has always been a weird thing for me. But we were really stuck because we were supposed to leave for a wedding and I was going to be leaving my cat behind. We were in a storm and I was freaking out about it. I was not happy about it. My friend said she could take her, so that was the plan, but I was still very stressed about it. So I prayed to Freya. Actually, after doing the ward, I did a little prayer to Freya at my altar. I said hey, could you please take care of my cat and make sure she's safe?
Speaker 1:And so, actually, what happened?
Speaker 2:is, the airport got shut down so our travel plans changed completely. So we actually evacuated to my parents' house with my cat and then flew out from there. So she was safe technically and I felt a lot better with her being at my parents' house.
Speaker 3:During your story you had me in tears. I was so emotionally invested in the end result making sure your cat was okay that when you said that, I'm like oh, I don't know how you did it.
Speaker 1:I am so happy she ended up there.
Speaker 2:I don't know how you did it, I am so happy she ended up there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, me too, and I actually, when we came back from our trip, I believe I left an apple out by the tree. It was for Craya, but I wanted to put it by the tree and at that exact moment one of our neighborhood street cats walked by in a different part of the yard. I hadn't seen it before and I like I'm not sure if this was a sign from her, but I felt like that was a little full circle moment for me.
Speaker 1:I'd say what drew you to wanting to connect with her, since you said you and Deity were, are still a work in progress. We'll put it that way.
Speaker 2:Just knowing that she is a cat goddess. That's a very, you know, easy way of putting it. She's a lot more than that, but one of her biggest representations is cats. Like I believe it was a Viking tradition that they were always gifted a cat at their weddings in honor of Freya, who was a total badass in addition to that. But when I was thinking of who would I reach out to for protection for my precious baby angel, cat Freya immediately came to mind. I was like she's the one she'll protect her.
Speaker 3:Yeah, wow, I'm so glad you did that. I'm grateful it worked out, especially for your kitty. Yeah, one of the things you did mention actually and this is a perfect time to ask that is how did that transition to witchcraft feel for you? Coming from, my interpretation of Roman Catholic is very I think you even said ritualistic, and so in some ways I can see how it seemed very similar and very casual of a transition, but in other ways I can see it becoming a challenge, off-putting to maybe your immediate family that you're living with, and it sounds like you kind of held all of that in pretty secretly. But how did you deal with that type of duality and being authentic? Because, knowing you, you are very authentic, you don't hide it, and I love that about you. So I'm curious how you dealt with that.
Speaker 2:It's something I've grown into with my family. I still am in the quote unquote room closet, although now they heavily suspect my dad has started cracking witch jokes dad which jokes in front of my mom too. My mom's the one who was very much asking me if I'm going to raise my baby to worship Satan or not, and I'm like, no, don't believe in Satan, believe in Lucifer. I've heard he's a nice guy which she did not appreciate.
Speaker 1:But he's awfully cute on TV. Man, that guy is hot.
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness, so handsome. But my dad, I forget what he said, but we were talking about transportation and he's like well, Ashley's just going to get on a broom, she doesn't need a car. I was like dad, do you, do you know?
Speaker 3:His intuition is strong, huh.
Speaker 2:It is, it is. He's actually very into a nature.
Speaker 2:I think I got a lot of my love and respect for nature from him, but yeah, so very much in the broom closet. But I this is almost advice slash wisdom after years of practicing, just for anyone who is worried about people finding out and it depends on your circumstance and who's around you but at this point in life I've been practicing since high school. So I'm 31 now and I'm not at home with my parents, I'm not around people who would say bad things about me for being a witch or being interested in witchcraft. So I've gotten to the point where I'm kind of tired of hiding it. So I am dropping a lot more hints, Whether or not I actually come out and say, hey, I'm a witch, not sure, but it is going in that direction. But with the similarities between Catholicism and witchcraft, they are so strong and they're so real.
Speaker 2:If you know anything about Catholic mass, they light incense. Okay, they're lighting frankincense, which is an incense that has historically been used to connect to the God. For Lent, they have different colored candles that they light at certain different times to have all these different meetings. So Catholicism is so witchy. It's so witchy. They have no business hunting us down, but it is what it is. So for me it was just very funny seeing all those similarities and then I told my boyfriend, who is also an ex-Catholic as well, and it totally blew his mind. So it's been fun, you know, telling people those connections.
Speaker 2:But I was definitely lucky in that I do not have a lot of Catholic guilt. I don't know how I escaped it, because they love to throw it on you, but I'm also a Taurus and I'm very stubborn, so I also will just throw it back at people. But not having that guilt definitely made it easier. It was weird transitioning to thinking of something other than God as the overarching deity of the world, whatever you want to say. So now it did take me a while to figure out how I wanted to approach that. Now I just approach it, I just call it spirit. It's genderless. It's up there.
Speaker 2:But for me, something that I heard, I believe it was a Wicca belief I'm not entirely sure but all the gods and goddesses of the world are just different forms of the god and goddess. So I just kind of put that underneath the overarching umbrella of spirit, because I like them all and I think that no one really knows anything for sure. So I'm just going to believe what makes me happy and feel spiritual and connected to the world. So when I'm doing rituals or I'm at my altar, like for the wardens that I did, I was praying to spirit, but I was also praying to Apollo, who was another deed that I really worked with.
Speaker 2:I'm not sure if I prayed to Hecate for that. She showed up at one ritual randomly for me. I don't work with her, but I may have reached out to her for that warding spell, just for an extra little oomph. I forgot where I was going with it, but so for me it was. It was weird reaching out to different deities at first and now I'm like I don't know for sure if I was gonna do what feels right so really you're saying that Hecate to you I mean the way I heard it sounded perfect.
Speaker 1:Hecate, freya, apollo, these are all aspects of one big spirit and so you're just calling them in that specific aspect. You're not saying, hey, there is no creative spirit, because who really knows for sure. But I'm going to recognize it in this way. I get that, I totally get that and I am so glad you don't have the Catholic guilt. So just to be clear, when you started casting your first spell in high school or reading and going to do your own thing, you didn't hide, you didn't think that first hurricane was coming for you. Specifically, you weren't shielding from any lightning bolts. Wow.
Speaker 2:No, no, I did keep it very secret at home when I was in high school and college. I definitely snuck reading the book and everything, but no, the only time I do get nervous is when I'm up in the air on a plane flying. I'm a travel agent, but I still get nervous when I fly, and so I'm just like this would be a great time for me to be snided right now, but it hasn't happened yet. So I think we're in the clear.
Speaker 3:I think, as we dive into our intuition and define who we are and what that path looks like individually, I think at least for me sometimes I'll just be passing somebody on a sidewalk and my body will tell me oh, that's a safe, like-minded person. That doesn't have to mean we have all the same belief systems, absolutely not. Perhaps it's polar opposite. It's just they're somebody who likes to have those in-depth conversations, and so I still would consider myself in the broom closet, which is funny because I get text messages about at least my broom is gas free and I don't have to recharge it. So I fully understand what you're saying. I think, as I continue to dive deeper into my own intuition, I also have been able to find it's easier to come out with who I am. It's easier to come out with who I am Although I will say that specific word is a little nerve wracking for me as well, because you always have the ignorance out there in society For people to be very wary about who they tell if they're new in your life.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because I have had that moment where I told someone who I thought could be a new friend. Sometimes it's also kind of fun and jokey.
Speaker 3:Never texted me after that and I was like, wow, yeah, I had a similar situation that I shared with Keone actually is. I had this girlfriend where I thought you know she's very progressive and she's very open-minded. We were sitting in the middle of the I wouldn't even go to, but she wanted to go and she was coming from out of town. So I was like, yeah, let's do it. And it's about five minutes into it she's like are you a pagan? And just announces it to the whole restaurant. And I was like so caught off guard that I didn't even know how to respond with that Right. So I've been much more cautious since. But you know, sometimes I'm just driving on my car on interstate and I'm like, oh, that's a safe person. I'm like, why do I need to know that? I'm literally driving to work? Who cares right now? So I was curious do you experience that?
Speaker 2:Only in that one instance so far. The rest of the friends I've now made as an adult, I think we just become better at knowing who is a good friend for us over time. I've never really had bad friends, but now I definitely am surrounded by people who are okay with that, even if they're not pagan or witchy. I actually have a very diverse group of friends. One's a Buddhist, one's Jewish. I do have a witch friend now, which is really nice, because my whole life I've really been missing that connection, someone else to just talk to or bounce ideas off of. I think that is just so nice to have. Not that it's a requirement, but your practice does grow when you have just one other person to connect with, and she was raised pagan, so she does have that background which is so rare to find, but our friend group is totally cool with it. And now I've gotten to the point where I, even with the ones I know did have a more conservative background.
Speaker 2:I know them enough, or I know their partners enough where I'm like okay, I can leave some books out and they're at least not going to cry about it and run away. They might be interested and be like oh, that's an interesting book to read. But that's the extent of it. So I am in a very safe space now, which is nice to have. I just sometimes got to remind them to not go blabbing about it to other people. That's another thing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've had to have those conversations and, funny enough, last weekend I had somebody stay the night unexpectedly, because of an event we did during the week actually, and my solitary witch by Silver Ravenwolf was sitting on the coffee table where she was making her bed and I'm like, oh, it was one of those moments of how do I work through this and respect everybody also, knowing it's midnight and I just want to go to bed through this and respect everybody also?
Speaker 1:knowing it's midnight and I just want to go to bed. Wait, isn't that when the party for you.
Speaker 1:Witches are just getting started, and this girl likes to be up really early, so not for this one. I picked up the Cancer Witch book just for astrology purposes and to see like the connection and for intuition, and I found myself putting it underneath other books because I didn't want anyone to be judgmental and I thought you know what Keone, just read that book. Just, I mean, just read it, come on. And I love that series. It's super cool. Which leads me to another question, though, ashley, because you are a Taurus at least that's your sun sign Almost everybody in my family friend group is either Pisces or Taurus. I seem to be attracted to those two water and earth. I love Taurians. I think they're so grounded I even said that about you I didn't realize you were a Taurus Stubborn. But even though I realize your sign is the bull, not bullheaded, to be stubborn. Stubborn in this is where I stand. I'm not going to change my stance because you don't like it. So that kind of stubborn, not stubborn for the sake of being stubborn.
Speaker 2:Then we will.
Speaker 1:What's that?
Speaker 2:Unless someone annoys us, but that's not for no reason. We will dig in our heels and be petty.
Speaker 1:That's for a good reason.
Speaker 2:We'll move past it, but we will go there if we did.
Speaker 3:Oh, my cheeks are.
Speaker 1:You two are too funny, oh my gosh. So now that we've gotten that cleared up, ashley's bullheaded sometimes just for the sake of being bullheaded. But I am interested in that beautiful thing you said about really feeling connected to the wind and finding it cleansing. Chloe and I were interviewing somebody not too long ago and I bet this will resonate with you, ashley but we were interviewing a former Baptist pastor who was talking about some of the unpublished books of the Bible that he had delved into, about some of the unpublished books of the Bible that he had delved into and their specific discussion. I think one was the book of Thomas, where they talk about the connection of the wind being a direct line to God, and he said God is in the wind, god is in the air, god is in the water, and so a lot of biblical practices or biblical teachings and then church practices don't often connect us to nature. So it's no surprise that as young people, we often don't feel that God connection. But how did you find the connection with winds? Because I think that's amazing.
Speaker 2:It's just something I've noticed over time, even going back to my childhood, like elementary school, high school I would be out walking my dog, who was an adorable little Maltipoo, and it was a very windy day. Like a really great burst of wind came and I was like, oh, I love, love this. I love the feeling of wind just hitting me. It is so cleansing for me. But I saw my dog standing facing the wind and she was loving it and it looked like she was also taking it in the same way I was, which I'll never know for sure, but it was just such a cute little moment for me. It's always something I've connected to, something I always just enjoy feeling and experiencing. And if I ever need a quick cleanse, I'm like I just wait for it to be windy and I just go out. I'm like this is great, just cleanse me and let it blow through me.
Speaker 1:That is a total element calling you. That's amazing. See, you have an overhead fan going, ashley, and a lot of people feel like fans wear them down, like just that spinning air. I've had more people tell me can we turn that down a little? Or that breeze is making me chilly, or it just wears me down and I'm thinking it feels so good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have to have airflow down and I'm thinking it feels so good. Yeah, I have to have airflow even if I'm not hot. It does get warm in this room, so we have to have a going. But even if I'm in a you know, a temperate place, I need to have some sort of air on my face or else.
Speaker 1:I feel very stifled and I don't know why. That is an element calling to you. That's who you are. Are you a Libra rising or something?
Speaker 2:I am a Libra rising. Yeah, it's something I just learned, which explains why I'm not very decisive either.
Speaker 3:My jaw is on the floor over here.
Speaker 1:I've nailed Ashley since the beginning. One of my best friends is Libra.
Speaker 2:I love Libras too. I don't have many Libras in my life. I have our one good friend is, but I have so many Tauruses, so many. It's really we count each other.
Speaker 3:I think it's so interesting how we have those patterns right. Like, almost all of my friends are either Saj or Cancer, and the few women that I've really, really really used as the rock throughout my life have been Taurus, ironically enough. But every man, whether it's just a friendship or a romantic relationship or any partner I should say, are always Aries within a three-day birthday time frame, and I always thought, god, I'm sure, weird, I'm so unique. And the more we talk on this podcast, I'm learning those things are very normal.
Speaker 2:I'm actually a cuss for Aries and Taurus right on the cusp.
Speaker 3:Oh, my gosh. Of course, I love that Wow.
Speaker 2:Yep, so we're there. And it's funny whenever there was something I read years ago and they said the Aries and Taurus cuss can be very powerful and the two they gave you could be for good or bad. I got Queen Elizabeth or Hitler, so I for Ray don't know how to take that there are a few other options, but those were like the two who were also Ares, taurus, cuth. I was like, wow guys.
Speaker 3:I will say. There's a lot of people out there who have the argument, though, that if Hitler would have used all of that power, ingenuity, every bit of his tenacity, for good, it could have been world changing.
Speaker 2:And for Queen Elizabeth to be who she was and deal with what she had to deal with, she had to be strong. She had to be grounded. The more I learn about her, I'm like I can't believe she had to be strong. She had to be grounded. The more I learn about her, I'm like I can't believe she ruled for so long.
Speaker 1:It's amazing as grounded and as tenacious as we need to be. There is a time to be silly and to not take ourselves so seriously. Because we've been taking ourselves so seriously during this podcast, I'd like to switch gears, lighten up, and I don't know whether that's your wind element connection or what it is, ashley, but when you were just telling us all to just lighten up and go with it, you were telling one of the folks in a container we were all in, hey, you're going to feel ridiculous, do it anyway. What do you attribute to that just like lighthearted approach to things?
Speaker 2:to that, just like lighthearted approach to things, just years of stress and being worried that I'm not doing it right, and then putting so much pressure on myself to do things the right way that I wouldn't do anything, which has been probably the majority of time for me. Actually, what really changed it was when the term DeLulu got popular, which is something I really embrace because, similar to what I said earlier, when it comes to spirits and deities, like no one really knows, and I got to the point where I got tired of just feeling silly and doubting and I was like you know what? No one knows anything for sure. I'm just going to embrace the Lulu and I'm going to work with Apollo and I'm going to call to spirit to help me and my rituals and I'm going to ask Freya to protect my cat, because those are all things that will make me feel better. I feel like spirit is going to listen, no matter who I pray to or what I do. So it was a combination of things. I just got tired of things just holding me back and just embrace it and I'm like I'm just going to do whatever makes me feel happy and magical and blessed and safe.
Speaker 2:And yeah, I just told people in our container. I was like you're going to feel ridiculous the first time you cast a spell, because you're going to have the spell up, you're going to have your tools. You're going to be like what am I doing? Is this real? Is it going to work? It's fine, just do it. Just do it. See what happens. Try not to go with too many expectations. Try not to stress yourself out about it. Just make sure you're in a good head space to focus on the work you need to do and just do it.
Speaker 3:That is actually almost word for word the advice Elise gave us in episode two when you're doubting yourself, Awesome.
Speaker 1:I think that's a very important message, because a lot of times we're told that to be successful we need to be focused, we need to be serious minded, we need to take things to heart and to really put all of our oomph behind it. And that intensity I totally understand. But from a vibrational standpoint, how much more magical can you get than a loving, joyous, authentic experience? Why not?
Speaker 2:I think being in the moment is so important and before I really adopted this philosophy we'll call it it just took me so long to do things. And now the second I feel the urge to do something like I got these random flowers while I was out on a hike and I was just thinking you know what? I'm going to go put these as an offering to try on a property and I'm going to go do it. That's great. It doesn't need to be complicated, it doesn't need to be like a huge act or whatever. Just do what feels right.
Speaker 1:Ah, you're right, Because I think so many of us and Chloe and I have talked about this before in number of different ways are thinking that we're going to have a struck by lightning moment, when it just has to be the effort and the intention.
Speaker 2:And for me, I really personally didn't feel much connection energy wise until we did the container with Elise. It was when we did the energy raising which I need to go back and redo. That was the first time I actually really really felt connected to the energy around me. Before, like I normally meditate and pray and do all these things, it's great, but that was the first time I was like my hands are warm, like there is something here, this is happening. That was also very gratifying and nice to experience.
Speaker 1:And you mentioned something also about feeling like you had felt in the past like your third eye opening, but it had just been like an on and off type of situation. Didn't you feel kind of connected in that way, Also during that one energy?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'll say, whenever I am being embraced by the wind, that's another very cleansing moment for for me, and that is when I feel like my third eye is the least amount of heaviness around it. Because when I did have the experience, when it I like felt it open, it was a really amazing breathwork class I just stumbled upon, like I felt it open and it was amazing. And ever since then it's been, you know, pretty closed, shut, but meditating, everything helps with that, but the wind for me also, that cleansing, I feel like, just helps push the sludge away and just makes it a little bit newer, a little bit more open so what does that opening feel like for you?
Speaker 2:it's so hard to explain, but it was in that area For me. I almost constantly have a pressure where the third eye is, and it's not a headache, it's not super intense, but it is just like a dampening feeling. Almost it felt like a curtain lifted off of it and it was just felt very light. Maybe that was the first time I was ever, or maybe only time I was in like a trance state. Maybe it was just being so deep in that breath work, meditation that only really felt like once or twice. That was just something I've never experienced since, but that is what it felt. It felt like a curtain was just being lifted from my forehead and like my head could breathe.
Speaker 3:When you're driving and let's say, you forgot your sunglasses and it's bright, but it's not super directly bright, and you find yourself really squinting and your eyes get tense and kind of tight. Do you find that it's a feeling like? That, I guess, is a good way of describing it, like it's not necessarily a headache but, it's tense, it's kind of tight, and I find myself wondering am I squinting my forehead? And I know that sounds really strange, but this was just the perfect opportunity to ask that.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I think that's definitely what it feels like, and if anyone here practices yoga, at the end when they have you do the shavasana, normally they will guide you through relaxing your body, and part of that is relaxing your facial muscles, which I think all of us are just always tensing, which probably does not help with that third eye being open at all. So whenever we do get the chance to actually relax and relax our face and just relax our minds, I feel like that does help so much, which is why people always say a big part of witchcraft is meditation, which I, of course, lack in just as much as any other witch, but when you do really feel it open, that is an amazing experience.
Speaker 1:But you're getting these nudges, you're getting these feelings like I need to work with Freya. You felt Hecate, come in and partner with you with a for a little oomph on things, don't you think that's your third eye, just in full flow, in full flow.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I don't know what it is because it's only been on a few occasions when I've felt them come through. I definitely need to work on it more and try and get into deeper meditations. I think once I really focus on doing that, then that will open more doorways and pass for me. Whenever the other deities have come through, it's been in very high key moments because I never felt drawn to Frey. I just always thought she was really cool and I liked her, but I didn't feel the urge to reach out to her until I was in a moment of need and I was like she can help me with this and I'm going to reach out to her right now to help me with this. And then when Hecate coming in, she just shows up and you're either going to listen to her or not and she's going to offer you her help and you can take it and if you don't, she's just going to putz off is kind of what I've heard.
Speaker 2:So like okay, if you don't want my help, bye, but I'm here. She's here if you want to work for her, but if you say no, then she's going to leave. So if she shows up, I'm like, ok, hey.
Speaker 3:I have to ask when these individuals show up for you, how does that look or feel Like? For example, how do you know, hey, this is Freya. Or how do I know this is Hakate? How do I know this is Hakate? I mean, is it because you find yourself driving to the store out of nowhere and buying these big cast iron colorful keys and putting them in your flower pots, like I did, and then wonder for a year why you did that? How is it so clear to you?
Speaker 2:Just because they popped into my mind so strongly and no one else did. Because I have read a lot of mythology and I am very familiar with other deities, which is why I'm also very wary about attributing every little thing to being a deity. I really try to avoid that, because if you look for it, you can definitely put them in there. So I've heard advice given over the years that if you seriously want to work with a deity, if you really think they are reaching out to you, ask them for something specific.
Speaker 2:I heard a story from a woman. She wasn't sure if Hecate was reaching out to her. This lady was in a gas station. A black dog ran into the gas station, ran up to this woman, stopped, looked at her and then ran out to God knows where, and that's the type of stuff that Hecate will do if she's really trying to get your attention. So for me it comes from not wanting to overthink things too much, and for Freya I just knew like the cat association was the right one. And personally, for me I do relate more to the Greek deities and the Roman variations as well than any other ones, so it also just feels more natural.
Speaker 3:I love that you said that, because I tend to overthink everything and I think that's what not only do I tell myself, but you touched on this earlier I personally have found community, regardless of their belief system, is so important, but just having one friend who has similar beliefs because when you're talking about things, things pop up and you're like oh, I didn't even know, I had questions about that, but now I know I have a hundred.
Speaker 2:Yep, absolutely.
Speaker 3:I love that.
Speaker 1:Part of your spiritual journey has been going to Delphi. Now that we're talking about the Roman varietal god and goddesses and deities and I also know that some communications that you and I have had back and forth that you're also looking for nerd ventures to do more orchestrated spiritual coordinated journeys, spiritual coordinated journeys so I'd love to hear your thoughts on traveling to sacred lands, what that Delphi experience was, and then how you're looking to make that type of thing, or maybe a slight variation, available to the general population.
Speaker 2:With my fingers crossed, so my Delphi trip is definitely a bit of a story. There's many layers to it, but I was able to visit Delphi with my boyfriend in 2023. Our friend Elise from the Container was our tour guide for this visit. Growing up as a kid I was a Greek mythology junkie. I just always really loved them, but specifically Artemis and Apollo. Those are the two I was drawn to the most. As a Taurus, Aphrodite is always going to be thrown in there. For us who doesn't love her.
Speaker 2:But specifically Artemis I always thought was awesome because I'm also had strong, independent, embracing who I am. So I always love Artemis for those reasons and when I first started on this path I thought she was reaching out to me. Now I know she's not reaching out to me, she does not want to work with me, she doesn't care, which is fine. I still think she's really awesome. But we went to Greece. We did go to Artemis' temple, which is in Artemisia and it's not as big and elaborate as Delphi is. It's much smaller. So I did a little offering there for her and we went there before Delphi. So I was thinking, all right, this is my moment to connect with Artemis, this is going to be great.
Speaker 1:And nothing happened.
Speaker 2:There were no vibes. I didn't really feel anything, just really cool being there. I loved it, but I did not get the same feeling there as I did in Delphi. So Delphi is very historically important for me. I do love ancient mythology, history, culture, all those things. So I also want to go to Delphi just to see the ruins there, and it is a massive archaeological location. I don't know what exactly you would call it, but Delphi is basically a small city that they built in honor of the gods, so there are just ruins on ruins and that was the main temple for Apollo, where the Oracle of Delphi was, and she was an extremely important figure in ancient Greece. So many people of power, importance, kings, queens everyone went to her for advice and to hear her prophecies. So just very important location historically speaking, and for me, of course, it being Temple for Apollo was very cool. So I just always wanted to go there.
Speaker 2:So we went there and I just had the best day of my life. It was up in the mountains, absolutely beautiful spot. Sun was shining, which I don't like the sun. I never go to the Apollo. I don't like the sun at all. I think it's because in Florida it's just so harsh for me. The sun is so draining. It completely drains my energy, it gives me migraines.
Speaker 2:But we were in Delphi and super bright, beautiful day and I just felt so happy. I felt so connected to myself, to my friends who were with me, to the world around me, and we got to the temple. I was just looking up at it and I was like this this is Apollo saying hi to me. Like I felt him all around me the entire time we were there, just like a really happy energy. It was basically felt like he was saying I'm so happy, you're here, this is awesome, let's work together. Like I just felt so happy, warm and welcome. I've never felt that anywhere else.
Speaker 2:But if you want another layer to this as well, I sat in on an astro cartography class a couple months after that and they were telling us about all these other lines in our charts and for me I was very basic, like I know my sun sign, moon sign, rising sign, that's it. They said to look up your sun line and where it crossed the earth on the day you were born and this will represent the place on earth that is most likely to enhance your sense of self of confidence, your core identity. You're just going to feel really grounded, empowered and just fully yourself. And for me it goes right over Greece, which that's where the temple of Apollo is, who is a sun God. So when I read that, that blew my mind. I immediately told my boyfriend, I told Elise. I was like, guys, we're not going to believe this, but I've been drawn to Greece almost my whole life.
Speaker 2:It was top of the place for places I wanted to visit, as well as Delphi, and I found that out. So that just had such a huge, profound impact on me and my practice.
Speaker 1:That's just too many coincidences to not be a coincidence. To not feel energized by the sun, to feel beaten down by it and drained, and then to go to Greece and feel that way, feel beaten down by it and drained, and then to go to Greece and feel that way, to just feel such joy and energy from it, and then to connect that to the ley lines for you being in the Greek area. Wow, how cool is that, ashley. So you're going to go back? Are you doing journeys with your business there?
Speaker 2:Well, I'm actually going back this year, so full two years later it's my friend's 30th birthday and she says you want to go to greece. And I said, heck, yes, sign me up. I'm looking for any skits to go back to greece and then for for nerd ventures. We are looking to partner with elise on some upcoming retreat. We're talking about doing one in Malta, if anyone is interested in going there.
Speaker 2:That's a very small Mediterranean country. It's made up of three islands and that's it. But it looks to be just as beautiful as Greece. You can go there year-round. So we're talking about doing something there and then for an adventure.
Speaker 2:So the focus is on pop culture, travel, so anything in books, movies, video games. For me, I was tying in Assassin's Creed Odyssey to Greece, because in that video game there's literally a map of Greece and you go to the island. So before our trip I was playing it and I was going to all the places that we were going to go in real life and it was just so much fun for me. I totally geeked out doing it. But it was also really cool because the video games, the ruins aren't ruins, they are full blown temples. You're seeing things maybe a bit more exaggerated in some areas, just for the plot of the game, but you're seeing these temples brought to life and they have color on them, they're painted, so it was very fun doing that.
Speaker 2:But I do want to be able to offer on the website just a section for people to find retreats and just really unique experiences around the world, because people love traveling, but I also want to be able to connect people with experiences that really speak to them. So we don't have those just yet, but I would love to offer a spiritual retreat to Greece to go to all these amazing temples or, if you just want to go to the United Kingdom and do all the Harry Potter thing. Those are all the things that we want to offer.
Speaker 3:That sounds so cool and so inviting and so inclusive. That sounds amazing. I hope we get to go and enjoy one of those with you. That would be so much fun.
Speaker 2:I think you want to go to.
Speaker 1:Malta because you had a Malta poo.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I did have a Malta poo.
Speaker 1:Just as adorable. So you're looking to do spiritual and pop culture ventures, which I think speaks to a lot of things because they're not mutually exclusive at all. And it's so funny, Ashley, I too was super drawn to Greek mythology and Roman mythology, the Greek mythological art class, where we had to date and know what the specific era in Greece was, what specific mythology gods and goddesses and deities were connected to specific pieces, and all of this was done on a slideshow. And I just remember, just thinking I'm going to. I am going to get to Greece if it kills me. And so after my kids grew up and they moved out of the house and work was calming down, the very first international trip I planned was to Greece.
Speaker 2:That's amazing.
Speaker 1:Yep, the point is is I I totally feel that because for some reason and I had all the books and I just loved it and I loved studying Because you're absolutely right, it's the historic, the mythology and the land connection all three of them of knowing who was coming in, what armies were coming in and then who they prayed to during that specific time period, and then just the different cultural influences, and that's why I thought Greece would be so cool. And then someone who is a diehard science-based individual was talking to me the other day and he said if you had asked me a year ago if Atlantis existed, I would have left you out of my office. But he went and took the Atlantis experience in Greece and he said it changed his life.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 3:That's what's beautiful about what your traveling company offers as well is they're unique but inclusive at the same time exactly, and I want to create a safe space for people to experience things that they do enjoy.
Speaker 2:So there are some tours that I found that will take you to some really amazing pop culture destinations and they are part of larger group tours that maybe like around 15, 20 people, but they will take you to all the main points. Another thing I wanted to do was to offer very customizable experiences for people, because there are some really amazing places you can go to, but not everyone is going to want to do that.
Speaker 2:So I really enjoy working with people one-on-one so you can feel for what they actually want to experience in a different place Do you care about doing the Eiffel Tower or do you want to skip it and do something else entirely? Because we can do that. So I think just really connecting with people, which is something I do enjoy and Travel is something I am very passionate about. So just working with people one-on-one to create trips that give them what they need, because I do think it's hard if you're going to a country you only have a week, you're not going to really feel like you experienced that country. If you're going somewhere different every single day, which is what a lot of tours are. If you just want to get a glimpse of Europe and do a bus tour and go through all of Europe, absolutely do it.
Speaker 2:But with me, I used to do that when I was younger, doing something every day go, go, go and I just found it so exhausting and draining. So now where I'm at, I've learned that I don't enjoy doing that and I think a lot of people don't like that either. Like you do want time to relax, enjoy where you are. So I do build my trips that way where you might have a few days that are fast paced, but I want downtime because I'm in this gorgeous country and I want to fully appreciate it for what it is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think you said that beautifully. And you can go, go go, you can have downtime. It depends on what your agenda, your personal agenda, is. But for the person who comes to you and says Ashley, I am looking to connect spiritually, why is travel a good option for me? What would you say?
Speaker 2:for them. I would ask a few more questions about why are you looking to do this? Is there someone specifically you're looking to connect to? Because, for me personally, I was always drawn to these very specific areas. I was always drawn to Greece. Right now, I'm feeling very drawn to Ireland specifically.
Speaker 1:I'll probably do the entire United Kingdom while I'm over there but I'm feeling very drawn to Ireland as my next spot.
Speaker 2:So that's going into looking at where's the place that in your bones you feel like you have to see before you die, where do you?
Speaker 2:absolutely need to go to or if you don't need to like pop up your head, where do where are you going? Where are you going right now? And then from there, okay, either, something is calling to you. It's definitely going to open your eyes. Wherever you go, you're going to connect with that area. You're going to experience new things. For me, I think spiritual led travel definitely does have some creatives to it. Just from my own experiences, I have felt that I have had those amazing, awe-inspiring moments where I felt so connected to spirit while I'm in these amazing areas, and I really didn't expect to have those feelings and I was there. So it's it's surprising when it happens, but it's just so rewarding, and I think just travel itself just opens you up to so many things that you would not experience otherwise.
Speaker 3:I personally think that it allows us to really recognize what and who we are, if you allow it.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and you'll see what you're made of as well, because things can and do go wrong when travel happens. So I always now, as a travel agent, I'm just telling people get the travel insurance If you're going abroad, if you're going to a different country, get it, because you're going to feel so much better when your phone gets stolen, like mine did, and you have a backup plan and you have someone to help you. As stressful as the experiences I've had when things have gone wrong, I'm going to have to have a few. You as the experiences I've had when things have gone wrong, because there happened a few. You also grow so much and now, going forward, I just know that, like what happened, that's pretty bad and I made it through.
Speaker 2:Okay, I made it through there. Most I was traveling alone. Something happened, I got lost, you made it through and in that moment you grew so much you can do that. So those things definitely happen and change you as it through, and in that moment you grew so much you can do that. So those things definitely happen and change you as a person.
Speaker 3:Definitely, it's always those unplanned little nuances that Keone very much experienced and shared graciously with all of our listeners.
Speaker 1:The thing that I really like that you said about someone who's looking for that spiritual journey is that you're absolutely right. First of all, you don't know when it's going to happen. You suspect you're called to a place, so go with where your heart is calling you to go. And my heart was calling me to the Netherlands, and I went there and I had an experience that blew my mind, and that was just one of many. I have pack extra underwear, so that's all I'm going to say about that. I wish everybody could see Keone's face right now. That was just the most horrible thing. I was places. My bags were other places. I am going to ask you, ashley, our last question that we ask all of our guests, which is if you could leave a couple of words to our visitors who are still spiritually seeking. You've had so many different experiences that I know that anything you say is probably going to resonate with someone. We would love to hear your words of wisdom or a mantra, whatever you'd like to share.
Speaker 2:Sure, so I did have two that came to mind. The first one is much shorter, so just keep it simple, just look to what draws you. Don't worry about learning every single thing or trying every single thing in magic, like there is so much out there, it's very overwhelming. I still get overwhelmed with, like, all the possibilities of what we can do. So, as for witchcraft or just spiritualism in general, keep it simple and look for what falls to you, any type of witch, at any stage. Just don't feel pressured to celebrate every single sabbath or moon phase that is happening. I've struggled over the years of just feeling like I'm not witchy enough because I'm not celebrating every single sabbath or every single moon phase. So for me, my advice is for people to just do what you can when you can, and do it with purpose.
Speaker 1:Perfect. Thank you, my friend.
Speaker 3:Thanks for diving into the depths with us today. If you enjoyed this episode, show your support at buymeacoffeecom forward slash mystical mermaid lounge, as every little ripple helps keep the magic flowing. Would you like some more deep, soul yearning conversations? Well then, swim on over to our sister podcast, past Lives Cafe, where Keone deep dives into those past life experiences. Also, we'd love to hear from you. Please don't forget to rate and review and drop your feedback and comments at our website, mysticalmermaideloungebuzzsproutcom. Thank you again so much, and don't forget to catch us at the next high tide. Bye-bye.
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