Hidden Wisdom

Explore LDS faith, Christian contemplative practices, contemplative prayer, centering prayer, meditation, yoga, Christian wisdom traditions, LDS temple ritual, and spiritual transformation as pathways to a direct experience of God. Host Meghan Farner and contemplative teacher Dani Mouritsen discuss how these practices can deepen faith, open the heart, and help us experience God in the present moment.Dani shares how yoga and meditation led her toward Christian wisdom practices, including centering prayer and Lectio Divina. Together, they explore ritual and symbolism in the temple, surrender, trust, and the shift from believing the right things about God to being with God. They also discuss how daily contemplative practice can cultivate compassion and make spiritual transformation part of everyday life.Timestamps0:00 – From thinking about God to experiencing God0:36 – Meet Dani Mouritsen2:14 – Yoga, meditation, and Dani’s spiritual journey5:02 – Bringing contemplative practice into LDS faith9:32 – Discovering Christian wisdom traditions12:12 – Centering prayer and Lectio Divina14:01 – Moving from studying scripture to experiencing it15:58 – Christian contemplative prayer and direct experience of God21:08 – Doing the gospel, living the gospel, and opening the heart23:13 – Jesus’ teaching on prayer and stillness24:27 – Three forms of meditation26:10 – Surrender, the divine, and contemplative prayer28:52 – Trust, patience, and compassion as fruits of practice30:35 – Ritual and intentional spiritual practice31:12 – Understanding temple ritual through symbolism38:42 – The temple as a path of transformation43:18 – Connecting temple ritual with personal practice44:14 – Covenants, commandments, and choosing a path53:03 – Saying yes to spiritual transformation56:04 – Ritual, transformation, and the presence of the divine58:05 – Moving beyond fear and scarcity1:00:01 – Living a transformative spiritual journey1:04:26 – Surrender and centering prayer1:08:30 – Experiencing God in the here and now1:09:04 – Final reflections on spiritual development1:11:51 – Closing thoughtsAbout the guestDani Mouritsen is a teacher and contemplative practitioner engaged with wisdom within the LDS faith tradition. She studied literature and Russian at BYU and American literature at the University of Nevada, Reno.Send us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com

Can you develop spiritual gifts, and how do you know a prompting is real? On this episode of Hidden Wisdom, Meghan Farner talks with Camille McConnell. Camille is a medium, grief coach and author of Let the Angels Carry You.After her three-year-old son died unexpectedly, Camille set out to learn how to connect with loved ones through the veil. She and Meghan discuss spiritual gifts, discernment, personal revelation and intuitive development. They also talk about grief and healing, and about the fear of being different that keeps many people from claiming their spiritual authority.You'll hear why these gifts aren't only for prophets, and how to tell inspiration from ego. Camille also explains why you don't have to wait until after death to heal. This conversation is for anyone dealing with loss, a faith transition, or a stirring they can't explain.Timestamps0:00 – Sacred Knowing workshop invitation1:10 – Meet Camille McConnell2:34 – Growing up LDS and early through-the-veil experiences5:33 – After her son's passing: choosing to cultivate her gifts7:24 – The fear of being different and inherited beliefs16:00 – How to discern what is from God and trust it16:57 – A thin-veil moment: love as the loudest language19:16 – Songs from heaven, including "Let the Angels Carry You"23:23 – How Camille became a medium28:25 – Asking for undeniable signs31:34 – Spiritual gifts aren't just for the special few39:20 – Why wait until after death to heal?45:49 – Healing stories from sessions with grieving families54:04 – How to work with CamilleResourcesCamille McConnell: lightkeepersguide.comBook: Let the Angels Carry YouPodcast: Through the Veil with Elle and CamilleSend us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com

Mormon patriarchy, Heavenly Mother, and the lived experience of LDS women take center stage as Meghan Farner welcomes Amy McPhie Allebest, founder of Breaking Down Patriarchy and author of “Dear Mormon Man, Tell Me What You Would Do.” Together, they explore Mormon feminism, faith transitions, and how inherited gender roles shape our relationships, spiritual identities, and sense of possibility.Amy shares the personal experiences behind her viral essay, including her struggle with gendered temple language and her desire to help men understand women’s experiences. She explains the difference between benevolent patriarchy and misogyny, why women sometimes defend patriarchal systems, and how rigid expectations can limit both women’s individual development and men’s emotional connection.The conversation also explores motherhood, meaningful work, biblical interpretation, and the relationship between images of God and women’s understanding of their own worth. Meghan and Amy share distinct perspectives on Heavenly Mother while considering what equality and partnership could make possible.For listeners navigating faith expansion, questioning religious authority, or seeking language for experiences they have struggled to name, this episode offers compassionate conversation and resources for reflection. Amy closes with feminist theology recommendations for those who want to challenge patriarchy while remaining connected to their own faith traditions.In this episode:How Amy’s personal questions became Breaking Down PatriarchyWhat distinguishes benevolent patriarchy from misogynyWhy loving intentions and unequal authority can coexistHow inherited gender roles affect women and menMotherhood, personal gifts, and the freedom to develop bothPatriarchy, biblical context, and earlier egalitarian societiesHeavenly Mother and the influence of exclusively masculine God imageryResources for reclaiming your place within your faithTimestamps(00:00) Introduction to Amy McPhie Allebest and her work on patriarchy(01:18) Amy’s upbringing, BYU years, marriage, and early motherhood(03:45) The unnamed pain of confinement and losing individuality(04:45) Temple language, spiritual injury, and years of wrestling(06:36) Writing Dear Mormon Man and the viral response(07:59) Stanford, self-teaching patriarchy, and starting the podcast(09:20) Breaking Down Patriarchy as a public learning project(12:17) Meghan’s own faith journey and why the topic matters now(13:53) Feminist awakening without political motivation(15:06) Patriarchy as the water Western civilization swims in(16:32) Defining patriarchy through etymology and hierarchy(18:19) Misogynistic patriarchy versus benevolent patriarchy(20:04) Hierarchy, power, and why women can still benefit inside patriarchy(22:01) Race, class, disability, and how patriarchy intersects with other harms(23:37) Pyramid structure, elite men, and women as enforcers(26:44) Why patriarchy is hard to see from inside culture and religion(29:06) Why the LDS Church is patriarchal by definition(31:09) Utah, church demographics, and women’s awakening(35:05) The soul-level harms of patriarchy for women and men(38:25) Women’s self-actualization versus men’s relational loss(40:33) Divine feminine and divine masculine as balance, not roles(43:29) Women, education, birth rates, and the false feminist stereotype(45:03) Motherhood, joy, and rejecting the demeaning of caregiving(46:46) Biblical patriarchy and why the written record is male-centered(48:31) Egalitarian societies, hunter-gatherers, and the rise of agriculture(54:38) Why a Mother God matters for self-concept and divine balance(58:59) Amy’s personal view of Heavenly Mother and spiritual mystery(62:58) Staying in faith while reclaiming women’s voices(64:50) Where to find Breaking Down Patriarchy and Amy’s workAmy McPhie Allebest is a writer, speaker, and educator, and the founder and host of the Breaking Down Patriarchy podcast and YouTube channel. She is the author of the widely shared essay Dear Mormon Man, Tell Me What You Would Do. As introduced in this episode, Amy holds a master’s degree in liberal arts from Stanford University and is pursuing a PhD in education, culture, and society at the University of Utah. She and her husband have four children.Connect with Amy: Explore Breaking Down Patriarchy, watch the project’s videos, and read Dear Mormon Man, Tell Me What You Would Do. Find Amy’s work on Instagram at @bdownpatriarchy. The essay’s official website confirms this spelling of the Instagram handle. Essay by Amy McPhie AllebestJoin the conversation: What expectations about gender have you reconsidered in your own spiritual journey?Subscribe to Hidden Wisdom for more conversations about faith expansion, divine identity, and spiritual growth.Send us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com

Nervous system regulation, embodied spirituality, and sacred rituals come together in this conversation with somatic herbalist and certified astrologer Allie Christensen. We explore how herbalism, astrology, anointing oils, and a relationship with Heavenly Mother have shaped her journey from burnout toward greater self-understanding, restorative rest, and spiritual connection.Have you ever tried so hard to connect with God that your spiritual practice became another source of pressure? Or assumed you were resting when you were actually escaping, scrolling, or shutting down? Allie shares her personal experience of navigating ADHD, autism, fearful avoidant attachment, and the desire for connection while learning to recognize what feels supportive in her own body.Together, we discuss the difference between habit and intentional ritual, the role of sensory experiences in Allie’s spiritual life, and the permission to approach the Divine through movement, singing, gardening, herbal baths, and anointing. We also explore the fear that can arise around unfamiliar spiritual practices, especially for women from an LDS background, and what it means to trust your unfolding relationship with your Heavenly Parents.Allie introduces her approach to moon sign embodiment, elemental exploration, and creating a neurosupportive lifestyle. This conversation invites you to become curious about your needs, release the pressure to force spiritual connection, and discover small, meaningful practices that help you feel more present with yourself and the Divine.Explore Allie’s offerings through Living Wisdom Apothecary, including ritual consultations, anointing oils, moon sign embodiment kits, and her online ritual library.Timestamps00:00 Sacred Knowing workshop invitation01:12 Allie’s path from relationship struggles to self-discovery01:46 Introducing Allie Christensen and Living Wisdom Apothecary02:52 Burnout, astrology, and neurodivergence04:41 The difference between shutdown and nourishing rest05:11 Creating anointing oils and finding herbalism06:46 Letting a business go—and rebuilding it with her husband10:08 Feminine spiritual traditions, oils, herbs, and astrology11:58 Releasing fear and trusting a direct relationship with the divine15:19 Movement, chanting, and neurodivergent spirituality17:26 Following Christ beyond institutional expectations21:00 Divine Mother, healing, and spiritual belonging25:19 Nervous-system safety and connection with God30:38 Signs of chronic dysregulation34:09 Shutdown versus restorative rest37:34 Building safety through astrology, herbs, and ritual41:54 What ritual means—and how to make it supportive47:07 Living Wisdom offerings: oils, moon-sign kits, and ritual resources53:14 Upcoming workshops and eventsUPCOMING EXPERIENCES• October 28: Free virtual workshop on ecstatic dance and self-discovery through intuitive movement. Register through the Hidden Wisdom app.• November 13: Sacred Knowing with Meghan and Camille in Huntsville, Utah. Explore spiritual authority, discernment, and spiritual gifts through teaching and guided practice.• November 19: Self-anointing and abhyanga workshop with Allie.• December 17: Somatic herbal baths workshop with Allie.The November 19 and December 17 workshops are included for app members, with individual tickets available for $15, as announced in this episode.Living Wisdom ApothecaryHidden Wisdom app and event registrationSacred Knowing information and registrationWhat helps you feel present, supported, and connected to the Divine? Share your experience in the comments, and subscribe to Hidden Wisdom for more conversations on spiritual awakening, transformation, embodiment, and ascension.Send us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com

In this episode, Meghan and Mike explore hormone imbalance, fatigue, brain fog, low libido, menopause, mind-body-spirit connection, and PCOS—and why feeling physically better was only the beginning of his healing journey.Dr. Mike shares his personal story of medical burnout, emotional disconnection, and the turning point that led him toward vulnerability, accountability, and a deeper relationship with God. Together, we discuss the body as part of spiritual life, masculine and feminine balance, and how inner work changed the way he showed up as a husband, father, and physician.In this episode:Hormone health and the connection between body, mind, emotions, and spiritDr. Mike’s concerns about endocrine-disrupting chemicalsHis approach to women’s hormone health and bioidentical hormone therapyWhy physical improvement did not resolve his unaddressed emotional painVulnerability, healthy masculinity, and presence beyond performanceJournaling, meditation, and asking for spiritual guidancePersonal accountability and growth within marriageExplore Dr. Mike’s work: https://www.optimizemd.health/This episode shares the guest’s experiences and perspectives for educational discussion. It does not provide individualized medical advice.Timestamps00:00 Hormones, inflammation, and insulin resistance00:36 Introduction to Dr. Mike Fortunato and his work01:46 Dr. Mike’s path from bartending to medical school03:53 Burnout, depression, and disillusionment in medicine04:57 Discovering hormone optimization through his own health struggles05:59 Why physical healing can bring deeper emotional patterns to the surface07:32 Building a practice focused on hormone care and women’s health09:43 The connection between body, mind, heart, and spirit10:20 Environmental endocrine disruptors and hormonal health13:44 How hormone imbalance affected Dr. Mike’s energy, motivation, and libido16:54 The endocrine system as the body’s “conductor”17:56 Hormone treatment for women, menopause, and medical misconceptions20:35 PCOS, insulin resistance, and women’s hormonal symptoms23:17 Masculine and feminine energy through a hormonal lens25:03 Motivation, healing, and choosing to change27:17 Detoxification, toxic load, and rebuilding the body’s foundation30:43 Looking inward: self-healing, meditation, and personal responsibility33:21 Emotional healing after restoring physical health33:52 Dr. Mike’s collapse, anger, and turning point38:46 Rock bottom, honesty, and rebuilding a life41:28 Vulnerability, masculinity, and emotional strength48:17 Finding peace, faith, and a healthier marriage51:30 Healing relationships through individual accountability53:05 How to work with Dr. Mike54:43 Closing reflections and gratitudeGuest BioDr. Mike Fortunato is a board-certified physician, hormone optimization specialist, and founder of OptimizeMD. Trained in anesthesiology, he brings his personal experience with burnout, physical symptoms, and emotional healing to conversations about biology, identity, relationships, and spiritual well-being. His work with men and women centers on hormone health while making room for deeper discussions about how people feel and show up in their lives.Send us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com

Faith in Christ, spiritual alchemy, manifestation, and Hermetic principles come together in this exploration of spiritual transformation through LDS scripture. In this episode of Hidden Wisdom, Meghan Farner rethinks what faith means and how it becomes a lived, embodied relationship with truth.Moving beyond faith as belief alone, Meghan invites us to consider how eternal truth becomes embodied in our emotions, choices, relationships, and everyday lives. Through the spiritual concepts of vibration, frequency, and resonance, she examines the distance between what is true and our present capacity to receive and live that truth.This conversation explores why spiritual awakening can bring grief, fear, shame, and uncertainty to the surface—and why experiencing difficult emotions does not mean you have failed spiritually. Drawing on spiritual alchemy and the Sacred Spiral, Meghan traces four stages of growth: awakening, transformation, embodiment, and ascension.She also considers the connection between faith and manifestation, the limitations of positive thinking, and a fresh interpretation of “faith without works is dead.” Through Christ’s pattern of descent, integration, and rebirth, this episode invites you to practice emotional honesty, trust the hidden seasons of spiritual growth, and allow faith to transform how you live, love, and connect with the Divine.In this episode, we explore:Faith as movement toward greater alignment with truth.Vibration, frequency, and resonance as lenses for spiritual growth.The difference between feeling difficult emotions and being governed by them.Spiritual alchemy and the transformation of shame, fear, and control.Why manifestation involves more than positive thinking.A fresh interpretation of “faith without works is dead.”Christ’s pattern of descent, integration, rebirth, and ascension.Timestamps00:00 — Faith produces evidence00:30 — Welcome and episode overview02:26 — What is faith?04:10 — Truth, light, and intelligence06:59 — Vibration, frequency, and faith10:52 — Your current state of being12:01 — Emotional states and the role of courage15:05 — Resonance and coming into alignment with truth17:17 — Lower emotions: acute feelings vs. chronic patterns20:07 — Descent, healing, and repentance25:25 — Alchemy as transformation of the soul30:01 — Turning fear, shame, grief, and control into truth33:47 — Scripture and the process of spiritual transformation35:00 — The sacred spiral: awakening, transformation, gestation, rebirth38:49 — Manifestation, creation, and the limits of positive thinking42:02 — “Faith without works is dead”43:49 — Christ’s pattern of descent, resurrection, and ascension47:11 — Growing grace for grace48:22 — Final definition of faith and closing reflections50:38 — Wrap-up and invitation to respondHow does this understanding of faith resonate with you? Share your questions and reflections in the comments, and subscribe to Hidden Wisdom for more conversations about Christian mysticism, LDS spirituality, and embodied transformation.Join Meghan’s email list through the website linked in the show notes to receive upcoming announcements.Send us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com

Larkin Swain left the LDS Church as a teenager and spent years searching for healing, spirituality, and truth. Her journey took her through yoga, meditation, energy work, plant medicine, and eventually ayahuasca—until an unexpected encounter with Jesus Christ changed the direction of her life.In this episode of Hidden Wisdom, Meghan Farner sits down with Larkin to explore her remarkable spiritual journey from Utah to Bali and Thailand, through spiritual seeking and a profound conversion to Christ, and eventually back to the LDS faith and the temple.Larkin shares the dark ayahuasca experience in which she saw Christ on the cross and heard the words, “It is finished.” She describes the prayer that followed months later, the unmistakable peace she experienced the next morning, and why she ultimately began reading the Bible, rediscovered the Book of Mormon, returned to church, and received her temple endowment.But her story doesn’t end with returning to religion. Meghan and Larkin explore Christian contemplation, embodiment, mysticism, symbolism, ritual, Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, and what it means to develop a deeply personal relationship with God while participating in a faith tradition.They also discuss Larkin’s work as host of Sanctuary, a Faith Matters podcast exploring the LDS temple, sacred ritual, symbolism, transformation, and the mystical dimensions of discipleship.This conversation is for anyone navigating faith transition, spiritual seeking, religious reconstruction, Christian mysticism, LDS temple worship, or the desire to experience God beyond intellectual belief.Larkin Swain is a seeker of heaven and truth, contemplative poet, herbalist, and lifelong student of the healing arts. Raised in Utah County in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she stepped away from the faith at 15 and spent years exploring spirituality and healing practices. While living in Thailand, she experienced a transformative conversion to Jesus Christ that eventually led her back to the LDS faith with a renewed perspective on its doctrine, temple worship, symbolism, and ritual. She is the host of Sanctuary, a Faith Matters podcast exploring the temple, sacred ritual, and spiritual transformation. Send us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com

What if your nervous system is actually a bridge to God? In this episode of Hidden Wisdom, spiritual embodiment coach Christina Beatty explores how embodiment, nervous system regulation, somatic healing, intuition, and self-trust can deepen our connection with God and help us access the wisdom already within us.Christina shares her personal journey from postpartum depression and a profound moment of surrender to discovering a spirituality rooted in the body rather than something continually sought outside herself. She and the host explore what it actually means to be embodied, why spiritual growth requires us to feel rather than simply intellectualize our emotions, and how learning to discern the body's signals can transform our relationship with ourselves and the divine.They also dive into the often-overlooked space between death and rebirth: the void, or gestation period, where transformation is integrated before something new can emerge. Christina explains why nervous system regulation doesn't mean remaining calm all the time, how resistance can actually reveal where healing is needed, and why curiosity, presence, prayer, and surrender are powerful embodiment practices.In this episode, you'll discover how to build greater self-trust, work with resistance instead of bypassing it, reconnect with your intuition, create safety within your nervous system, and approach spiritual awakening as something you embody—not something you escape into.If you've been navigating spiritual awakening, nervous system healing, a season of transformation, or a desire for a deeper connection with God, this conversation offers a grounded invitation to stop searching outside yourself and begin listening within.00:00 — What embodiment looks like in everyday life00:50 — Welcome and introduction to Christina Beattie01:48 — Christina’s spiritual journey and surrender05:25 — The nervous system as a bridge to God07:42 — Self-trust, religion, and discernment11:32 — Why reconnecting with the body matters15:35 — Defining embodiment17:50 — Simple ways to practice presence19:09 — Regulation, dysregulation, and listening to the body21:56 — Spiritual experiences through embodied awareness29:25 — Death, rebirth, and the gestation phase32:43 — The void, surrender, and co-creation36:50 — Embodiment during seasons of change37:58 — Practical tools: curiosity, resistance, and creating space41:32 — Getting started with embodiment47:42 — Prayer as an embodiment practice48:54 — What surrender reveals about success and transformation53:22 — Where to find Christina and her workChristina Beatty is a spiritual embodiment coach who guides women home to themselves by helping them reconnect with their bodies, deepen their intuition, build self-trust, and cultivate a more intimate relationship with God. Her work blends nervous system practices, somatic healing, spirituality, and embodiment. Christina also offers one-to-one coaching and readings and hosts The Embodied Truth Podcast. She shares her work on Instagram and offers the Empowered Awakening program. Instagram: @Christina.soulempoweredSend us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com

If you’re exploring Christian mysticism, mediumship, spiritual gifts, hearing God, spiritual discernment, ancestral healing, Christ-centered spirituality, or the unseen world, this conversation offers a fascinating perspective on developing those gifts while remaining rooted in Christ.Can Christians be mediums—and can communicating with spirits coexist with faith in Jesus Christ? Christian medium, author, healer, and PhD Jen Basir joins Meghan Farner to explore Christian mediumship, spiritual discernment, hearing the Spirit, ancestors, generational healing, and spiritual gifts.Jen’s journey into the unseen began unexpectedly. After leaving her career teaching physical therapy, she began studying energy healing through the Emotion Code and Body Code. Then, while practicing muscle testing, a female spirit appeared beside her with a message that changed everything: the point wasn’t getting the muscle testing right—it was learning to listen to the Spirit.In this conversation, Jen shares how she began seeing spirits and communicating with ancestors, why she believes God eventually called her to offer mediumship sessions, and how she discerns between spiritual influences. Meghan and Jen explore what happens after death, whether ancestors can continue to heal and progress, ministering angels and spiritual guides, generational trauma, communicating with plants and the earth, and the importance of agency in spiritual development.They also explore a deeper question: How do we develop spiritual gifts without allowing fear—or even the gifts themselves—to distract us from God?00:00 Opening quote: learning to listen to the spirit00:07 Show introduction01:16 Introducing Jen Besire01:47 Jen’s path to faith, marriage, and a career change05:00 First experience seeing a spirit06:33 From energy healing to mediumship08:13 Different ways of receiving spiritual guidance10:28 Physical sensations, empathy, and boundaries12:09 Ancestors, healing, and generational patterns15:23 Progression after death and meeting Jesus17:39 Spirit guides and Jen’s guide, Theodore19:17 How Jen’s mediumship sessions work20:25 Staying clear and grounded in spiritual work22:32 An ancestor’s transformation after death25:12 Discernment and connecting with spirits without fear28:01 Communicating with plants, trees, and the earth30:12 Agency, abundance, and asking bigger32:29 Releasing fear and learning to trust35:18 Giving, generosity, and the flow of money37:58 A message for the audience: blessing the places around us40:36 Words, water, food, and intentional blessing44:22 Where to find Jen and her work45:25 Closing reflections and outroAbout Jen BasirJen Basir is a PhD, Christian medium, author, and healer who worked and taught as a physical therapist for 23 years before feeling called by God to a different path in 2014. Her work focuses on helping clients come into Christ, heal generational trauma, develop spiritual understanding, and create lives of greater freedom. Her practice incorporates energy healing, mediumship, spiritual transformation, and the intuitive gifts she has developed through her own healing and faith journey.Website: https://drjenbessire.com/Community: https://drjenbessire.com//groupPodcast/YouTube: Spirit Stories: Conversations with the UnseenSend us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com

If you are navigating Mormon faith transition, LDS faith crisis, religious trauma, mixed-faith relationships, faith expansion, spiritual awakening, or healing after high-demand religion, this conversation offers a compassionate framework for growing without needing to erase where you came from.What happens when a Mormon faith crisis becomes an invitation to spiritual growth rather than the end of faith? Licensed therapist and Latter Day Struggles host Valerie Hamaker joins Meghan Farner to explore faith expansion, religious trauma, spiritual authority, the true self, patriarchy, and how to build a deeper relationship with God after inherited beliefs begin to change.Valerie shares her journey from deeply committed Latter-day Saint life—including serving a mission, graduating from BYU, temple marriage, Relief Society leadership, and working as an LDS Church preferred mental health provider—to eventually resigning from the Church after being called to a disciplinary council.Rather than framing faith transition as simple deconstruction, Valerie and Meghan explore a model of transcendence and inclusion: allowing beliefs and identities that no longer serve us to change while honoring the experiences, wisdom, and spiritual foundations that helped us grow.They discuss why a faith crisis can feel like death, the movement from externally sourced authority toward inner spiritual discernment, and the importance of rediscovering the true divine self beneath inherited identities, shame, perfectionism, and fear.The conversation also examines transactional images of God, masculine and feminine expressions of divinity, developmental stages of faith, healthy versus dominator hierarchies, religious shame, mysticism, and the possibility of finding a more direct experience of the divine.Timestamps00:00 - Spiritual Autonomy After Faith Change00:39 - Hidden Wisdom: Faith Renovation and Spiritual Discernment01:20 - Meet Valerie Hamaker, Therapist and Faith Expansion Coach02:24 - From Devout Mormon Life to Counseling and Healing Work05:44 - Starting the Latter-day Struggles Podcast07:36 - Healing, Integration, and Personal Spiritual Authority09:16 - Leaving the LDS Church and Resisting Religious Control13:21 - Staying Connected to Mormon Community After Resignation14:38 - Faith Expansion Through Transcendence and Inclusion18:14 - Discernment, the True Self, and Inner Spiritual Trust22:11 - Divine Wholeness, Masculine and Feminine Spirituality25:07 - Reframing Atonement, Shame, and Healing27:15 - Faith Crisis as Death, Rebirth, and Personal Growth32:21 - Healing Harmful God Images and Transactional Theology37:07 - Patriarchy, Hierarchy, and Compassionate Spiritual Development41:55 - Mysticism, Symbolism, and Direct Experience of the Divine45:18 - Finding Spiritual Possibility Beyond Traditional Mormonism48:01 - There Is More: Hope for Faith Expansion49:02 - Valerie Hamaker’s Faith Healing Groups and Resources50:13 - Hidden Wisdom Closing InvitationValerie Hamaker is a licensed therapist and certified coach specializing in faith expansion, mixed-faith relationships, and recovery from high-demand religion. She is the creator and host of the Latter Day Struggles podcast, where she combines clinical expertise with lived experience to help people navigate the psychological, relational, and spiritual challenges that accompany changing belief systems. Valerie also offers coaching, online courses, live events, faith-expansion groups, and other resources for individuals and couples seeking support beyond traditional religious frameworks.Send us Fan MailContinue Your Journey with Hidden WisdomReady to discover the meat of the gospel, reconnect with your divine feminine identity, and deepen your relationship with God?Explore Meghan Farner's book Consider Yourself as Eve and download the free companion workbook to begin your journey of remembering who you truly are.Get the free workbook: https://resources.meghanfarner.com/eve-workbook-pageExplore Hidden Wisdom: https://meghanfarner.com