Big Seance: My Paranormal World

262 - The Case for the Afterlife with Philosopher Chris Carter - Big Seance

  In this episode, we're joined by Oxford-trained philosopher and author Chris Carter to explore one of humanity's most enduring and controversial questions: Is there evidence of life after death? Drawing from his latest book, The Case for the Afterlife: Evidence of Life After Death, Carter argues that the survival of consciousness can be established beyond reasonable doubt through empirical evidence rather than faith alone. Our conversation ranges across research from the British and American Societies for Psychical Research, compelling cases of reincarnation involving children who remember previous lives, accounts of after-death communication, and examples of terminal lucidity. Along the way, we examine the philosophical distinction between reasonable and conceivable doubt, address the strongest skeptical objections, and consider the practical and existential implications of believing that consciousness continues beyond physical death. Visit BigSeance.com/262 for more info. Other Listening Options Direct Download Link   In this episode: Intro :00 This interview was recorded on September 19th, 2025. :45 Our guest for this episode is Chris Carter, who is an Oxford-trained philosopher and the author of four highly acclaimed books, and several scholarly articles. His latest book is The Case for the Afterlife: Evidence of Life After Death, which argues that the case for the afterlife can be proven beyond all reasonable doubt, entirely on the basis of evidence. 2:15 Book Description for The Case for the Afterlife: Evidence of Life After Death. 3:16 Tension between skepticism and belief, and what counts as sufficient evidence? 4:53 The most impressive research that Carter's book focuses on, comes from both the British and American Societies for Psychical Research. 7:14 Atheism, Doubt, and Convincing Deniers of the Existence of an Afterlife. 10:36 Reincarnation and Children Who Remember Previous Lives. 13:39 The amazing story of afterlife communication from Frederic Myers, one of the founding members of the British SPR, who died in 1901. Communication came from two different, unrelated mediums on two different continents. 18:05 Reasonable Doubt vs. Conceivable Doubt. "…the burden of proof, of providing evidence, is on the person making the claim." 24:02 The Practical Benefits of a Belief in an Afterlife. 28:36 If consciousness survives physical death, what is its form? The Etheric Body. 30:57 The Skeptic/Denier's Most Fundamental Objections. 36:24 Alzheimer's and Terminal Lucidity. 38:19 "The evidence is on our side. The evidence is not on the side of the materialists, so-called Skeptics. And there's no need to make excuses for our beliefs or even take refuge in the mysteries of faith. The evidence is strong and compelling, beyond all reasonable doubt, that we survive the change called death." 40:42 Get the book, visit Chris Carter's site at WhyRichardDawkinsIsWrong.com, and check out his essay, Can We Prove There Is Life After Death? 41:32 OUTRO 42:01     The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at Patrick@BigSeance.com. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!

261 - Hoodoo, Healing, and Helping Others: A Conversation with Jamilah Davis McKenzie - Big Seance

  In this powerful and heart-centered episode of the Big Seance Podcast, Patrick sits down with Jamilah Davis McKenzie—a minister, spiritual counselor, and boutique owner, whose life is steeped in legacy, music, ministry, and magic. With the grounded wisdom of your favorite “cool auntie,” Jamilah opens up about surviving a traumatic gunshot wound, living with PTSD, and her eclectic spiritual path rooted in church ministry, Hoodoo, ancestral veneration, and radical authenticity. She shares how her work—whether through oracle readings, retreats, or ministry—creates sacred spaces where people can heal, reconnect, and transform. With a no-nonsense edge and plenty of heart, Jamilah reminds us that true spiritual service often happens in the most unexpected places. Visit BigSeance.com/261 for more info. Other Listening Options Direct Download Link   In this episode: Intro :00 Jamilah Davis McKenzie is a minister, spiritual coach, spiritual counselor, wedding officiant, boutique owner, motivational speaker, and event host dedicated to helping people live their most authentic and fulfilled lives. With a nurturing spirit and a no-nonsense edge, she brings the energy of your favorite “cool auntie”—a Gen X hippie with a sharp tongue, a soulful heart, and a deep commitment to truth and transformation. The daughter of a Tony-nominated opera singer and a non denominational pastor who once served as Malcolm X’s bodyguard, Jamilah’s life has always been steeped in legacy, purpose, and power. A gifted singer herself, she blends ancestral strength with modern-day wisdom to create spaces where people can heal, grow, and reconnect with their truest selves. :45 Just like the guests from the past three episodes, Patrick met Jamilah this past winter at Missouri Paracon! 1:58 Jamilah and Deb DeRousse’s Mystical Magical Retreat by Mystical Awakenings with Big Seance previous guest and friend, Andrea Perron. 7:41 “We make sure that people come in one way and leave different.”  “It’s all about just building community, being there for each other, and finding a safe space.”  Jamilah survived being shot in the head in a road rage incident in 1993, and she suffers from PTSD. 12:04 “I know what it feels like to be so down. I know what it feels like to feel like you’re nothing but a burden on people. Have you noticed that nobody can convince you of how unworthy you are, more than yourself?” “Part of healing is getting back in touch with that inner child who used to laugh at fart jokes.” Unity Tree Interfaith Ministries 16:11 The daughter of a minister, Jamilah grew up in the church. She loved the music and community, but she had questions. She has begun to describe herself as a “Spiritual Eclectic.” 18:16 “A lot of people can go on Ancestry.com or DNA or whatever, and they can trace stuff back. As an African American, I can’t do that. There’s only so far I can go. And one of the ways that I feel more connected is through the practices that my people brought here. And that’s where the hoodoo comes in, and that’s where the indigenous stuff comes in, and that’s where ancestor veneration comes in. So I take what I need to build the spiritual life that makes me a better person, so then I can be a better person to help other people.” 22:50 There are many ways to be of service. “I can’t tell you how many times I have given a message to someone across the table as I’m doing a reading. I cannot tell you how many times I have ministered to someone over oracle cards. And in a traditional sense, I’d be going to hell right now. But that’s where I was of most use. The person sat down for a word. They sat down to be filled at that point and I gave it to them.” 23:35 Jamilah breaks down her empathic abilities. 26:50 Ancestor Veneration and how the practice of Hoodoo was born. 28:10 “We had to use Christianity to kind of mask our faith, so we had to put it in with Christianity to be able to practice anything, or to be able to save any of our culture, or any of our heritage, or any of our religion, because we weren’t supposed to be doing that.” On the topic of gatekeeping Hoodoo: “Understand who you are and who you’re asking. We’re telling you to make sure that you call for your sake, not because we’re trying to gatekeep.” 33:16 “There are people of all walks of life, of all skin colors who practice Hoodoo and have a beautiful time doing so. Just make sure that you’re really called.”  “A ritual or a spell is nothing but a prayer coupled with action.” 36:11 Being Gen X: “Think about this. Everything we fantasized about, all the things we wished we could have, we have seen come to pass. So we are the magical generation.” 42:22  Jamilah and Patrick discuss AI. Jamilah is all about it! 45:02 Skyclad Handmade Boutique 49:23 Shoutout to Dale Quigley of the Seeking Vibes Podcast, who recently interviewed Jamilah. Check it out! 51:32 Jamilah’s parents and grandparents have fascinating stories! Her mother is a Tony-nominated opera singer known for her roles in Porgy and Bess and Aida! 53:00 “The help they were giving me didn’t really help me. I found my help in talking to other people and then finding out that my story helped them. And then I saw myself reflected in their response to me.” More on Jamilah’s childhood, her struggles as a young adult, PTSD, imposter syndrome, ministry, and spiritual counseling. 53:55 Youtube channel coming soon! 58:35 “I do not do pop ups.” 1:06:10 Outro 1:09:10   Resources:  Jamilah on Facebook SkycladHandmade.com Mystical Awakenings Unity Tree Interfaith Ministries     The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at Patrick@BigSeance.com. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!

260 - Sarah Neoma of Grave Matters on Cemetery Preservation, Vintage Fashion, and the Stories History Tells - Big Seance

  What do cemeteries, vintage fashion, and spiritual connection have in common? For Sarah Neoma, they all tell stories. In this delightful conversation, Sarah joins Patrick to talk about Grave Matters, her work preserving cemeteries, and her deep reverence for the past. Along the way, she shares personal experiences, stories from being a fourth-generation seamstress, her boutique Spellbound, and a chilling ghost story from her lovingly restored historic cabin. Whether she’s water witching forgotten graves, diving deeper into what she calls cemetery mediumship, or curating and romanticizing little things in life in ways that bring her joy, Sarah inspires us to remember—and to be remembered. Visit BigSeance.com/260 for more info. Other Listening Options Direct Download Link   In this episode: Intro :00 Meet Sarah Neoma of Grave Matters! :45 More on Sarah’s Creative Work. 4:34 Grave Matters and Sarah’s love for historic cemeteries. “They’re kind of magical places. I don’t just see them as the resting place of bodies or just hunks of stone. I see them ass this treasure trove of stories.” 6:13 Preservation and physically caring for a grave. 9:14 Gumbo, the cemetery on a hill. 11:03 “I think the thing that human beings overall collectively fear, never more so than now, is being forgotten, is fading from collective memory.” 13:32 A misunderstanding of cemeteries. 14:25 Lore and how we want to be remembered. Sarah and Patrick consider what their death wishes might be. 18:20 Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, and cemeteries in the snow. 20:51 “I’m a big fan of curating your life, or romanticizing it. Romanticizing things in little ways that bring you joy.” 24:15 Sarah is a fourth generation seamstress, loves vintage fashion, and owns Spellbound Boutique. 27:44 Vintage fashion patterns and Patrick’s childhood memories of his grandmother’s fabric shop. 32:33 Missouri artist Lowell Davis and his Red Oak II, and Sarah’s adorable historic cabin that she’s restoring. 34:29 A touching but heartwrenching ghost story from the cabin. 43:03 “I get a glimmer.” Sarah’s cemetery mediumship. 51:01 Water witching and dowsing rods. 53:25 A forgotten and endangered cemetery in the middle of a farmer’s private pasture. 59:57 Final thoughts and where to fina Sarah Neoma. 1:02:05 Outro 1:05:08   Resources:  Facebook: @SarahNeoma Instagram: @Sarah.Neoma Grave Matters Facebook  Instagram: @GraveMattersMO Spellbound Boutique 401 S Main St, Carthage, MO 64836 (800) 296-5926 Spellbound.Boutique Instagram: @SpellboundBoutiqueCarthage   The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at Patrick@BigSeance.com. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!    

259 - CREEPZ Ghost Commandos - Big Seance

  Patrick reconnects with the spirited crew behind CREEPZ Ghost Commandos—Alec and Adam Tillery, and Gideon Coyle (absent Caleb Tillery)—who reveal how a shared childhood fascination with the unknown turned into a full-fledged paranormal investigation team. Patrick and the CREEPZ reflect on their recent collaboration at the 2024 Missouri Paracon, dive into creepy encounters including ghostly handprints and unexplained scratches, and discuss how their beliefs have evolved over time. With tales of growing up in a haunted house, debunking high EMF, a brand new EVP from the bunker at Belvoir Winery, and some paranormal pet peeves that only seasoned investigators could dish! Visit BigSeance.com/259 for more info. Other Listening Options Direct Download Link   In this episode: Intro :00 In 2008, brothers Alec and Adam Tillery, along with good friend Gideon Coyle, formed a paranormal exploration and investigation team called the the City and Rural Explorers Examining Paranormal Zones, or C.R.E.E.P.Z. Ghost Commandos. The Tillery brothers and Gideon began venturing to many historic and haunted locations throughout the greater Kansas City area and the Midwest. They’ve since been joined by Caleb, who is a nephew of Alec and Adam. Together, they research a location’s history and its ghost stories, while documenting any potential evidence of ghostly activity. They also host The Other Side of the Other Side on YouTube. :45 Patrick met and had the opportunity to collaborate with the CREEPZ at the 2024 Missouri Paracon. 2:26 Meeting Alex, Adam, and Gideon. 3:41 Reflections from the very first Missouri Paracon. 5:29 “Let me tell you my own ghost story.” 11:07 “Adam and I grew up in a haunted house together.” More on the origins of forming the CREEPZ. 12:54 Gideon saw a ghost at the Tillery house at the age of sixteen. 14:20 “Adam brings up this crazy idea to Gideon and myself, and he’s like, ’Let’s go ghost hunting.’” 18:07 “The Commandos” club. 18:59 Adam is also the author of Mischievous Ghost Stories and Illustrations. 20:58 Mike Ricksecker’s ears must be burning right now. 22:28 Patrick and the CREEPZ reflect on their collaboration on leading group investigations in the bunker at Belvoir Winery. 23:44 Skepticism and our changing beliefs on the paranormal over time. 27:02 Handprints and Getting Scratched. 34:29 Private vs. Public Investigations. 39:32 Classic Debunking and High EMF. 43:15 Spilling the "T" and Dishing About Paranormal Pet Peeves. 44:55 A clip from the last session from the very cold bunker at Belvoir and a possible EVP response of “A domino” from the SB7. Patrick asked, “Can you tell me what’s in my hand?” 54:49 Patrick is reminded of and retells his “Ouija Board” EVP story. 1:00:54 The popularity of the spirit box and the “Estes Method.” 1:02:19 The Other Side of the Other Side on YouTube and Final Thoughts from the CREEPZ. 1:06:26 OUTRO 1:12:47   Resources: YouTube: @CREEPZ Facebook: @CREEPZGC Instagram: @CREEPZGC TikTok: @CREEPZGC Mischievous Ghost Stories and Illustrations by Adam Tillery Adam's Personal Instagram: @AdamTillery7 Missouri Paracon Belvoir Winery     The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at Patrick@BigSeance.com. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!  

258 - Raven Knight from the Darkwoods Paranormal Podcast - Big Seance

  Patrick sits down with one of the new friends he met at Missouri Paracon, Raven Knight from the Darkwoods Paranormal Podcast. Raven considers herself an empath, and her interest in both the paranormal and true crime goes back to childhood. We discuss the Villisca Axe Murder House, the importance of finding your group, reflections from the paracon, paranormal pet peeves, and her recent interview with paranormal investigator, Dustin Pari! Visit BigSeance.com/258 for more info.  Other Listening Options Direct Download Link   In this episode: Intro :00 Patrick recently returned from Missouri Paracon, where he met today’s guest, Raven Knight from the Darkwoods Paranormal Podcast. :45 The podcast, where Raven shares the microphone with co-host Gabriel Von Graves, delves into the eerie and unexplained. They bring a mix of short fiction stories, as well as first hand accounts from those who have lived them. Exploring everything from ghosts, to UFOs, to all things mysterious. They’ll bring you spine chilling stories from around the globe. 2:50 The story of how the Darkwoods Paranormal Podcast began. 6:10 “You find your group.” Raven’s reflections of Missouri Paracon. 8:43 “I think it’s really important for people to have people out there willing to listen to them, that say, ‘You know what? We believe you.’” 11:03 Raven’s interest in both the paranormal and true crime goes back to childhood. 16:15 A matter of being open to experiences. 21:42 Raven considers herself an empath. 26:22 The Villisca Axe Murder House. Plus more on the Darkwoods Paranormal Podcast. 30:46 Loving being in your 40s! 37:55 Possible future episodes. 38:52 Paranormal pet peeves. 40:46 Raven’s final thoughts, lots of upcoming events, and where to find more Darkwoods Paranormal content, including interviews with Dustin Pari and Richard Estep! 43:17 Outro 46:12   Resources: darkwoodsparanormal.com YouTube: @DarkwoodsParanormalPodcast Instagram: @DarkwoodsParanormalPodcast Facebook: Darkwoods Paranormal Podcast MissouriParacon.com     The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at Patrick@BigSeance.com. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!