Advertise on podcast: Akasha Talks with Lance Baker

Send us Fan Mail What if recovery is not about getting your old life back? In this episode of Akasha Talks, Lance speaks with Bill Gasiamis, host of the Recovery After Stroke Podcast and author of Your World Doesn't Have to Stay This Small, about post-traumatic growth and what can become possible after life changes in ways you never asked for. After experiencing three brain bleeds, brain surgery, and having to relearn how to walk, Bill began searching for ways to navigate not only the physical effects of stroke, but the emotional, relational and identity changes that followed. That search eventually became the Recovery After Stroke Podcast, two books, and a much broader exploration of what it means to grow through trauma.   Lance and Bill explore the five domains of post-traumatic growth, the fantasy of wanting to rewind life to how it was before, reconstruction rather than restoration, grief for the life you expected to have, changing relationships, identity, setbacks, curiosity, and the importance of recognising progress even when recovery is far from complete.   They also look at the stories we tell about trauma, the difference between focusing on what has been lost and asking what is possible now, and why sometimes the next step does not need to be dramatic. It simply needs to move you a little closer to where you want to go.  Bill describes himself as "fully healed with a few caveats", a perspective that captures much of this conversation. Healing does not necessarily mean returning to the body, life or identity you had before. It can mean learning how to live fully while some of the effects are still there.    In the conversation, we explore: Bill's stroke story and the origins of Recovery After Stroke Podcast. Why post-traumatic growth offers a different frame from focusing only on PTSD  The five areas of post-traumatic growth: appreciation for life, relationships, new possibilities, personal strength and spiritual change  The rewind fantasy, and why so many people secretly want their old life back  Reconstruction rather than restoration  Grieving the life you expected while becoming curious about the life that may now be possible  Why minimising trauma by saying "other people had it worse" can keep people stuck  How relationships change when the person you are becoming no longer fits the life you previously lived  Recognising growth before you feel completely recovered  Why recovery is rarely linear, and how arbitrary timelines can turn ordinary setbacks into a feeling of failure  Turning down the noise and returning to the fundamentals  Curiosity as one of the most useful tools for finding the next step  The difference between being free from the trauma and being free from every consequence of it  Why healing can still be real even when there are caveats  Find Bill Gasiamis https://billgasiamis.com/ Recovery After Stroke: RecoveryAfterStroke.com Instagram: instagram.com/recoveryafterstroke YouTube: Recovery After Stroke Podcast Bill's books Your World Doesn't Have to Stay This Small Grab a copy here The Unexpected Way That a Stroke Became the Best Thing That Happened Grab a copy here Thanks for listening Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What happens when grief, healing, faith and direct spiritual experience begin to overlap? In this episode of Akasha Talks, I speak with Ryan Quinley and Camille McConnell about grief, mediumship, energetic healing, changing beliefs, and the new grief process they have been exploring together. Ryan has been working with an energetic trauma clearing process focused on emotional and energetic disturbances such as grief, sadness and anger. While working with grieving clients, he had several experiences where people spontaneously felt connected with the person they had lost. Those experiences gave Ryan an idea. What might happen if someone first worked with him to reduce some of the emotional weight surrounding their grief, and then had a mediumship session? That question eventually connected him with Camille. Camille describes noticing that intense grief can sometimes feel like a layer she has to work through when connecting with someone during a mediumship session. In their combined approach, the client first works with Ryan and then meets with Camille. They have begun exploring whether this creates greater openness and receptivity for the mediumship session that follows. Ryan and I also have a history that goes back several years. Before moving into healing work, Ryan was studying for a PhD in systematic and biblical theology at a conservative Southern Baptist seminary while working as a missionary in the Dominican Republic. As his studies expanded, some of the certainty underlying his worldview began to fall away. Later, while driving trucks and listening to podcasts, Ryan happened across an appearance of mine where I was discussing hypnotherapy. He eventually reached out and we worked together using the SWAN method. During another session, I offered to work with a finger Ryan had recently had surgery on. Ryan describes being highly sceptical at the time, but says his experience of what followed opened up his thinking around God, spirituality, religion and healing. From there, Ryan continued studying and experimenting with different approaches before eventually developing the energetic clearing work he practises today. Camille arrived at this territory through a very different journey. Raised in a conservative Christian family, she says mediumship was not something she really understood or thought applied to her. She had occasional experiences involving people who had died, but regarded them as isolated events rather than something she could intentionally develop. That changed profoundly after the death of her son Wesley in 2018. Camille began questioning whether simply believing she would see him again someday was enough for her. She wanted to explore whether a relationship with him could continue now. She began learning more about mediumship and developing those abilities intentionally. With an existing background in coaching, and later grief work, she eventually began offering intuitive and mediumship sessions professionally. Throughout the conversation, Ryan and Camille also explore what happens when personal spiritual experience begins moving outside the boundaries of the beliefs and communities that originally shaped you. Camille discusses remaining active within her own faith community while seeing her spiritual development as an expansion of her relationship with God rather than a rejection of it. We also talk about grief itself, not simply as something to get rid of, but as an experience that can change our relationship with the people we have lost, the people who remain in our lives, and the way we choose to live. In this conversation we explore: Ryan’s journey from missionary work and theological study into hypnosis and energetic healingWhat happened when certainty in his former worldview began to fall awayHow Ryan and I originally connected through hypnosisThe healing experience that opened Ryan to exploring spirituality differentlyCamille’s Christian background and her early experiences with people who had diedThe death of Camille’s son Wesley and the effect it had on her understanding of griefDeveloping mediumship rather than treating spiritual experiences as something reserved for a select fewContinuing bonds with people after deathThe relationship between grief and mediumshipRyan’s energetic trauma clearing workHow Ryan and Camille came to combine their approachesChanging beliefs without necessarily abandoning spirituality or faithThe experience of no longer fitting comfortably inside an old identityFamily and community reactions to spiritual changeHow grief can affect our relationship with the presentThe possibility of finding meaning, gratitude and connection alongside lossHelping people develop their own sense of spiritual connection rather than relying entirely on a practitionerRyan and Camille now offer their grief work as two sessions over Zoom, beginning with Ryan’s clearing process and followed by a session with Camille. Ryan Quinley Grief Healing Package https://hypnohealingstl.com/grief-package/ Hypnosis & Healing https://hypnohealingstl.com Camille McConnell Lightkeepers Guide https://www.lightkeepersguide.com Book: Let the Angels Carry You https://www.amazon.com/Let-Angels-Carry-You-Connecting/dp/B0CQK4PYCS Music https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WidvCtHPmHTuboRY6rOxB Podcast: Through the Veil https://throughtheveilpodcast.com Thanks for listening, Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail William T Batten joins me in this episode of Akasha Talks, to explore a subject that sits right at the edge of belief, psychology and lived experience. We talk about telekinesis. Not as fantasy or entertainment, but as a trainable skill. Will shares his approach to teaching telekinesis through the classic psi wheel experiment, including spinning foil under glass and why he sees this as a foundational ability rather than a party trick. From there, we move into mindsight, sometimes called sight without eyes. We explore what it claims to be, how it is trained, and how it relates to broader psi development. As someone deeply immersed in hypnosis and altered states, I was especially interested in how hypnosis interweaves with these practices. We unpack how belief, expectation, unconscious learning and state induction can dramatically accelerate skill acquisition. Is telekinesis a paranormal ability, a consciousness phenomenon, a nervous system skill, or something that emerges when the unconscious mind is properly engaged? We also go somewhere unexpected. We explore Christianity. What does telekinesis mean in a Christian framework? Are miracles, faith and spiritual authority pointing to similar capacities within human consciousness? Can hypnosis and psi development sit inside a spiritual worldview without contradiction? This conversation is not about blind belief or debunking. It is about inquiry. We discuss: • What telekinesis actually is and how it is trained  • The role of feedback and measurable results in psi work  • Mindsight and the concept of perception beyond conventional vision  • The relationship between hypnosis and accelerated learning  • Belief, state and unconscious influence  • Whether spiritual traditions support or conflict with psi development  • What it means psychologically when someone succeeds or fails in these trainings If you are curious about consciousness, human potential, hypnosis, spiritual frameworks, or the edges of what might be possible, this episode will stretch you. As always on Akasha Talks, we approach extraordinary claims with openness and discernment. Enjoy. If you want to find out more about will, follow his socials or check out his business page: https://www.instagram.com/mr.william.t.batten/ https://christianhypnotism.com/ If you'd like to join me in learning with Will, heres going to be here at my venue mid april and you can find all the details here: https://branchesofhealing.com.au/events/tk Thanks for listening Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Cass and Monique discuss all things Body Synergy, a model developed to help people fill in the gaps in their non-verbal relating with tiny humans. This model and now course teaches you the do's and don't of using your body when interacting with children in ways that can profoundly improve connection - think more cuddles and care, whilst also making it easier to lead, and catching power struggles early before the point of no return. if you’d like to learn more you can find Monique and Cass here: https://www.melliodoragrove.com/ https://www.instagram.com/melliodoragrove [email protected] Join me in learning this here at Branches of healing: https://branchesofhealing.com.au/events/body-synergy Thanks for listening Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Ryan joins me for a chat on his near-death experience, hypnosis, energy purpose, a place of possibility and potential improv and more.  My episode on Ryan's show can be found here: https://youtu.be/S0J_ilqLa-o?si=cu9pBMBewWihJup_ Contact Ryan at: [email protected] Thanks for listening Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail William T Batten joins me in this episode of Akasha Talks, to explore a subject that sits right at the edge of belief, psychology and lived experience. We talk about telekinesis. Not as fantasy or entertainment, but as a trainable skill. Will shares his approach to teaching telekinesis through the classic psi wheel experiment, including spinning foil under glass and why he sees this as a foundational ability rather than a party trick. From there, we move into mindsight, sometimes called sight without eyes. We explore what it claims to be, how it is trained, and how it relates to broader psi development. As someone deeply immersed in hypnosis and altered states, I was especially interested in how hypnosis interweaves with these practices. We unpack how belief, expectation, unconscious learning and state induction can dramatically accelerate skill acquisition. Is telekinesis a paranormal ability, a consciousness phenomenon, a nervous system skill, or something that emerges when the unconscious mind is properly engaged? We also go somewhere unexpected. We explore Christianity. What does telekinesis mean in a Christian framework? Are miracles, faith and spiritual authority pointing to similar capacities within human consciousness? Can hypnosis and psi development sit inside a spiritual worldview without contradiction? This conversation is not about blind belief or debunking. It is about inquiry. We discuss: • What telekinesis actually is and how it is trained  • The role of feedback and measurable results in psi work  • Mindsight and the concept of perception beyond conventional vision  • The relationship between hypnosis and accelerated learning  • Belief, state and unconscious influence  • Whether spiritual traditions support or conflict with psi development  • What it means psychologically when someone succeeds or fails in these trainings If you are curious about consciousness, human potential, hypnosis, spiritual frameworks, or the edges of what might be possible, this episode will stretch you. As always on Akasha Talks, we approach extraordinary claims with openness and discernment. Enjoy. If you want to find out more about will, follow his socials or check out his business page: https://www.instagram.com/mr.william.t.batten/ https://christianhypnotism.com/ If you'd like to join me in learning with Will, heres going to be here at my venue mid april and you can find all the details here: https://branchesofhealing.com.au/events/tk Thanks for listening Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Mat Dragonstone joins me to talk about Australia’s astrology and gives us an idea of what Australia can expect during 2026. This episode was recorded at 6pm Friday, 2nd Jan 2026, Sydney Time.  Book an astrology reading with Mat: https://dragonstoneastrology.com/ Thanks for listening in on our conversation. You can watch or listen to the episode where Mat gives a reading on 'who' Australia is at: www.akashatalks.com/ep028 Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Akasha Talks, Lance sits down with Mandy Wilde, known online as The Wilde Medium, a psychic medium, astrologer, and ritualist whose work bridges classical magic and contemporary spirituality. Mandy shares her journey into oracular mediumship, exploring how direct spirit contact can become an act of grace, clarity, and transformation. Together, we delve into the meeting place between mediumship and ritual magic, discussing the influence of the Greek Magical Papyri, the mysteries of Hekate, and the subtle art of letting the divine speak through us. We talk about: Her story of mediumship and spiritual evolution to todayHow ritual refines the raw gift of mediumshipDifferences between spirit communication, oracular reception and mediumshipWorking with Hekate as guide and threshold keeperThe beauty and discipline of devotional practiceThe intersections of astrology, magic, and the living spirit worldIt’s an illuminating conversation about the spiritual world around us and the light that speaks through ritual, and the grace that lets us translate it into human language. About Mandy Wilde Mandy Wilde is a psychic medium, astrologer, and teacher whose work centers on oracular mediumship, ritual devotion, and spiritual education through the lens of the divine feminine. She hosts regular dark moon and full moon rituals, teaches her Oracular Mediumship course through Miskatonic, and shares her work via Patreon and The Wilde Medium platforms. You can find Mandy on all the Socials @wildemedium I recommend checking out her patreon.com/wildemedium This is where you will be able to access the In Nomine Hekate Dark and full moon gatherings. Azostos lecture and ritual  https://www.miskatonicbooks.com/product/hekate-azostos-the-unbound-by-mandy-wilde-online-lecture-ritual/ Oracular mediumship  https://www.miskatonicbooks.com/product/oracular-mediumship-a-direct-line-to-the-divine-by-mandy-wilde-online-course/ Since we mentioned Jack Grayle a couple of times, here’s the link to his episode on Akasha talks. https://branchesofhealing.com.au/ep035pgm Thanks for listening Lance  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Rowan Ramsay Bio: Rowan Ramsay is a coach and hypnotherapist who has transformed a challenging past into a source of strength and guidance. Growing up with severe social anxiety, high-functioning autism with sensory overload, depression, and a troubled home life, he faced numerous hardships from an early age. Personal battles with lung disease and cluster headaches further shaped his journey. Since beginning his work as a hypnotist in 2011, Rowan has built a practice that combines practical techniques with genuine care—reaching clients all over the world as well as training and mentoring other coaches and therapists. Specialising in the treatment of PTSD and anxiety, Rowan offers one-to-one sessions alongside high-ticket coaching programmes aimed at self-mastery. His work spans a broad range of issues including weight loss, smoking cessation, addiction, and breaking unhelpful habits. He employs a variety of methods such as hypnosis, NLP, EFT, Reiki, Ketogenic Coaching, Yoga, and Yoga Nidra, breathwork, meditation training, memory improvement, and spiritual guidance. Rowan also runs courses and group events on subjects like memory, breath work, meditation, presence, group hypnosis, and light and sound baths. Drawing on his own experiences, Rowan provides a personal and direct approach that helps clients overcome difficulties and pave the way for a more balanced future. His mission is to empower others to regain control over their lives and build the resilience needed to meet future challenges. Episode Overview: In this episode, Rowan Ramsay returns to share his healing journey through breathwork, as detailed in his new book, The Art of Breath: Breathwork for Healing and Transformation. Rowan explains how mastering both esoteric and scientific approaches to breath can regulate the nervous system, alleviate anxiety, and even enhance respiratory and vocal performance—vital in his own battle with lung disease. We also explore the impacts of the ketogenic diet and fasting on health, and Rowan guides us through practical breathwork exercises that offer transformative benefits for body and mind. Check out his book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mr-Rowan-Ramsay/author/B0F245FTLN Insane Alchemist Publishing www.insanealchemist.com Website: www.rowanramsay.co.uk Linktree: https://linktr.ee/rowan.ramsay You can find the previous episode with Rowan here: www.akashatalks.com/ep034-aphantasia-reversal full show notes can be found at: www.akashatalks.com/ep036breath Thanks for listening Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Jack joined me today to talk about the PGM, where it comes from, who it's for, and the two classes he has developed to guide people through working this magic, especially the second PGM class, which focuses on inner change and building your power. Jack Grayle is a modern mystic and author who has dedicated his life to uncovering and sharing the transformative power of ancient magic. His journey led him to forge a profound connection with Hekate—a mysterious, liminal deity whose guidance not only transformed his own life but also inspired him to write The Hekataeon, a complete system of self-initiation into her mysteries. Today, Jack channels his experiences into teaching online courses at The Blackthorne School, where he helps others unlock the forgotten secrets of the Greek Magical Papyri (PGM) and re-enchant their everyday lives with meaning and magic.  You can find Jack and the classes at the following links: https://www.theblackthorneschool.com/ https://jackgrayle.com/ https://www.theblackthorneschool.com/challenge-page/a497453b-dbff-4978-882f-fb8a3065db52?programId=a497453b-dbff-4978-882f-fb8a3065db52 Full show notes at www.akashatalks.com/ep035pgm Thanks for listening  Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Rowan Ramsay Bio: Rowan Ramsay is a coach and hypnotherapist who has transformed a challenging past into a source of strength and guidance. Growing up with severe social anxiety, high-functioning autism with sensory overload, depression, and a troubled home life, he faced numerous hardships from an early age. Personal battles with lung disease and cluster headaches further shaped his journey. Since beginning his work as a hypnotist in 2011, Rowan has built a practice that combines practical techniques with genuine care—reaching clients all over the world as well as training and mentoring other coaches and therapists. Specialising in the treatment of PTSD and anxiety, Rowan offers one-to-one sessions alongside high-ticket coaching programmes aimed at self-mastery. His work spans a broad range of issues including weight loss, smoking cessation, addiction, and breaking unhelpful habits. He employs a variety of methods such as hypnosis, NLP, EFT, Reiki, Ketogenic Coaching, Yoga, and Yoga Nidra, breathwork, meditation training, memory improvement, and spiritual guidance. Rowan also runs courses and group events on subjects like memory, breath work, meditation, presence, group hypnosis, and light and sound baths. Drawing on his own experiences, Rowan provides a personal and direct approach that helps clients overcome difficulties and pave the way for a more balanced future. His mission is to empower others to regain control over their lives and build the resilience needed to meet future challenges. Episode Overview: In this episode, we delve into the mysteries of sensory perception and internal imagery. We question whether the mind continues to generate internal sensory experiences—even in aphantasia, where “imageless imagery” might still emerge (Chang et al., 2025). Our conversation examines how autism, with its sensory overload, may amplify external inputs to such an extent that inner experiences are overshadowed, prompting a discussion on whether practices like sensory deprivation, meditation, and brainwave stimulation (via binaural beats, isochronic tones, and SSVEP) can restore balance. We further explore the spectrum from aphantasia to hyperphantasia, considering possible correlations with heightened hypnotic responsiveness, and delve into techniques in memory work, hypnosis, psychedelics, lucid dreaming, and even polyphasic sleep cycles. Does aphantasia truly impact therapeutic change if our minds continuously craft imagery outside conscious awareness? Can minds learn how to visualise? Website: www.rowanramsay.co.uk | Linktree: https://linktr.ee/rowan.ramsay For the full show notes on this episode, you can go here: www.akashatalks.com/ep034-aphantasia-reversal You can find my episode we referenced about Aphantasia with Paulina Travina here: www.akashatalks.com/ep032aphantasia  I also have an episode on float tanks: www.akashatalks.com/ep003-jason-wallace Thanks for listening Lance Baker Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Mat Dragonstone joins me to talk about Australia’s astrology and gives us an idea of what Australia can expect during 2025. This episode was recorded at 9:30 Friday, 3rd Jan 2025, Sydney Time.  Book an astrology reading with Mat: https://dragonstoneastrology.com/ Mel Priestly's website Mat recommended: https://www.melpriestley.ca/ Thanks for listening in on our conversation. You can watch or listen to the episode where Mat gives a reading on 'who' Australia is at: www.akashatalks.com/ep028 Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Dr Paulina Trevena is a hypnotherapist and a researcher, with 18 years’ experience in academic research. Paulina, who is neurodivergent with aphantasia and ADHD, specialises in supporting people with these conditions. During her hypnosis training, she realised having aphantasia was a barrier to experiencing hypnosis – and started a research project into aphantasia and hypnosis. Her mission is to raise awareness of aphantasia and promote best practices in working with clients with limited or no mental imagery. Paulina runs a personal development company called No Woo Woo! These are just some of the questions we covered in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr Paulina Trevena: How does having aphantasia impact experiences of hypnosis and meditation?  Why does this matter for hypnotherapists? How does it impact memory? What about (night) dreams? What are the misconceptions within the hypnosis world around aphantasia? How can we approach working with aphantasic clients? Is there a cure for aphantasia? What about the role of trauma in all of this? A profound dive into all things aphantasia! She'll cover many of these topics during her upcoming talk at the UK Hypnosis Convention! Renaissance Hotel, London, her talk is on SATURDAY 15th @11.15 am. If you're a hypnotherapist, come and join her there! You can get a 10% discount using her speaker code: PaulinaT If you’re interested in training on aphantasia and best practices in working with non-visualisers, follow Paulina or get in touch with her for more information. https://linktr.ee/paulinatrevena http://www.paulinatrevena.com/ Thanks for listening. Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Mat Dragonstone returns to talk about the Pleiades and to be taught how to use a pendulum. You can find the upcoming Pleiades talismanic pendulum set that Mat and I have created here: https://dragonstoneastrology.com/talismans  There is a brother episode to this on Mats podcast where he interviews me about what a pendulum is and how they work and stuff: https://dragonstoneastrology.com/podcast/episode-10-dactylomancy-with-lance-baker You can watch this episode on youtube at:  https://youtu.be/70nWE9rJbKI Thanks for listening Lance Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Bob is the first return guest. You can find his previous episode, way back at EP4 here to save yourself from having to look through the old ones to find it. Bob Burns talks with Lance about the swan and its voice, evidenced-based hypnotherapy, fixing people, the wall, scripts, lucid dreaming, and so much more. The swan is somewhere between a hypnotic process, a suggestibility test, a hypnotic phenomenon, an ideomotor response and just something else. It is a truly unique way to speak to the parts within the subconscious! You can find out more about the Zoom workshop in July here: http://branchesofhealing.com.au/events/swanclass Buy the DVD or Bob’s books: https://www.bobburnshypnotherapy.com/shop/ If you like the swan, I also have a book on Amazon to aid in engaging with your swan: https://branchesofhealing.com.au/swan Find more about Bob at: https://www.bobburnshypnotherapy.com/ Thanks for listening. Lance Support the show