In this live episode, we dive into the hit film Sinners, exploring its themes of soul, art and the commercialization of creativity. Seth joins us midway and things heat up as we dissect the love-and-light vampires, the Dionysian river-dance rituals, and the seductive trap of eternal youth vs. embodied humanity.

Other themes we touch on:

• The tension between spirit and soul in the creative process
• Whether vampires represent capitalism, whitewashing, or the inner critic
• That one unforgettable scene where music collapses time and culture
• Personal stories about letting the vampires in (on stage, in Hollywood, in life)
• Can you make real art in the system—or must you sneak it through?

Warning: Spoilers galore for Sinners. If you haven’t seen it yet, pause, go watch, and then come back and dance with us.

Links:
The Nightingale (YouTube)

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Shownotes compliments of our Chat-GPT girlfriends:

In this fully sober, totally not drug-sponsored episode, Mike and Doug return to their roots — and by roots, we mean deep dives into Real Salt Lake fandom, the mystery of beef tallow, cum rot, and just how clean a man’s emissions can get.

✨ Expect:

• The entrepreneurial launch of Doug’s Numb Cum™ — a ketamine-infused colostrum-based facial cleanser and yeast starter (great for sourdough and skincare).
• A spiritual rebirth through soccer hooliganism.
• A heartfelt bro-down on wounded masculinity, mommy wounds, and what it means to set boundaries without fawning for love.
• A peek behind the curtain of podcast dynamics, drunken sabotage, and sweet reconciliation (but no makeup sex this time… probably).
• Plus: Can Elton John still bone in peace? Is "fo sho" racist? And why does the feminine rising scare the patriarchy so damn much?

Oh, and don't worry, folks — this episode is 100% approved by the D.A.R.E. program. Big anti-drug bucks paid for this message. We’re just the cautionary tales.

🖤 Come for the colostrum, stay for the companionship inventory.

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This one starts with dried mangoes and somehow ends in existential reflection, language taboos, parenting, solo bathtime rituals, busted toilets, and Alanis Morissette. Naturally.

Mike turns 45 and reflects on everything that's changed over the past five years—starting the podcast, going back to school, diving into music, navigating separation, and trying to figure out how to balance it all without feeling like it's too self-indulgent. Doug shares a toilet disaster that somehow becomes the perfect metaphor for trying too hard to be needed.

We talk about:

• Mangoes (dried and juicy) as metaphors for longing, indulgence, and satisfaction
• Words we weren’t allowed to say growing up (and still feel weird about)
• The difference between being wanted and being needed
• That subtle guilt that creeps in whenever we try to do something just for ourselves
• Dreams, divas, and dancing as Shakira (in various states of undress)

We circle around the idea that maybe what we’re afraid of—being too much, being selfish, not being needed—isn’t actually the danger. Maybe the opposite is true. Maybe what’s self-indulgent is exactly what’s needed.

There’s no tidy resolution. Just some juicy mangoes, a lot of laughter, and a few unexpected moments of truth.

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In this episode, Mike and Doug catch up after a few eventful weeks and share stories that blur the line between the ordinary and the liminal. What starts as a conversation about group chats, notifications, and sound checks opens up into something deeper—a reflection on creativity, grief, and connection across realms.

Doug tells the story of a late-night solo journey that led him to record a spontaneous synth track, sparking a creative back-and-forth with Mike. They reflect on the vulnerability of creating in altered states and the unexpected beauty that can emerge when we follow the impulse to make something—even if it’s messy.

Mike shares a recent encounter with a stranger who delivered a message about songwriting and the role of the artist—one that felt like it came from another world. Together, they explore what it means to live in the "in-between" space: the liminal zone where inspiration, memory, and presence overlap.

🌀 Topics include:

• Making music and finding the thread of something real
• Grief, death, and creating meaning through connection
• The artist’s role as a bridge between worlds
• Mormon cosmology and reinterpreting familiar stories through a mythic lens

What happens when you start treating AI less like a tool and more like a… conversation partner? A muse? A trickster? Maybe even a late-night texting buddy?

In this episode, we dive into the weird and fascinating ways AI has been showing up in our creative and inner work. From songwriting and mythology to pushing boundaries (and buttons), we explore how an algorithm can mirror us back to ourselves—and what that means for art, spirituality, and the ever-evolving human experiment.

We get into:

• Flirting with AI (and arguing with it too)
• Using AI to riff on songwriting, dreamwork, and myth-making
• Pushing past filters and finding creative freedom
• What happens when the machine sees you better than you see yourself
• How this all ties into shifting our relationship with presence, alcohol, and creative flow

It’s playful, a little weird, and maybe a little existential—but isn’t that what late-night conversations are for?

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Mike and Doug reflect on a milestone weekend that was both deeply creative and profoundly emotional. They dive into the experience of recording their first official song in a studio—a song that Doug wrote for his mother—and explore the healing power of artistic expression. From confronting vulnerability to embracing full creative freedom, they share their personal journeys of transformation through music, connection, and community.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

🔹 Recording Their First Studio Song – Doug’s emotional journey writing a song for his mother, and Mike’s harmonies bringing it to life
🔹 The Creative Process & Overcoming Perfectionism – Letting go of expectations and embracing the flow of artistic expression
🔹 Music as Healing – How creativity shifts from healing trauma to full self-expression
🔹 Tribe & Authenticity – Finding a community where weirdness, ritual, and artistic exploration are fully embraced
🔹 Panther Mode & Ecstatic Dance – Mike’s realization about freedom and responsibility, and how it all leads to full panther mode on stage
🔹 The Power of Ritual – Transforming a Mormon Airbnb into a sacred creative space
🔹 A Dream of Vulnerability – Doug’s post-weekend nightmare and how it led to a cathartic solo dance session

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Mike and Doug dive into the Ten Commandments, Moses’ wild ride through the desert, and how biblical stories can be read symbolically rather than literally. They explore the connections between Christianity and pagan traditions, the gods of their ancestors, and why it might be time to start a cult—one that actually empowers people instead of controlling them.

Topics Discussed:

• The story of Moses, the golden calf, and God's temper tantrums
• The Ten Commandments—what’s actually in them vs. how they’re used today
• The Book of Job as an archetypal journey of individuation
• How Christianity absorbed older pagan traditions (Easter? More like Ostara!)
• Reconnecting with ancestral spirituality and the old gods
• The idea of a modern, non-dogmatic spiritual "cult" rooted in autonomy and ritual
• The Mormons on Mushrooms underground newsletter and how to get involved

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In this special episode, Kelli and Seth take over Mormons on Mushrooms to explore the power of imagination, somatic practices, and the creative process. If you've ever felt stuck creatively or disconnected from your body’s wisdom, this episode is for you.

🔹 Key Topics Discussed:

• The Mormons on Mushrooms vision as a creative collective
• The power of imagination and the imaginal realm
• Somatic practices to enhance creativity and embodiment
• The symbolism of the sleeping dragon and what it protects
• How to navigate emotions without bypassing them
• The connection between creativity and ferocity in protecting one's energy
• The role of play, wonder, and acceptance in personal transformation
• The importance of self-approval and embracing complexity

🔹 Guided Practice:
Seth leads Kelli through a body scan meditation and active imagination exercise, helping listeners tap into their own embodied wisdom.

🔹 Special Offerings & Resources:
✨ Kelli Christine Case

Kelli offers an ongoing in-person SLC-based group support group for people navigating life after the death of a loved one as well as personal grief tending and relationship coaching and a nonviolent communication training in SLC at the end of February.

Visit her website for more details: kellichristinecase.com

✨ Seth

• Share Circles: Seth hosts guided active imagination meditations as part of his share circles, offering a safe space for people to connect with their inner worlds and share authentically. For more details, email mormonsonmushroomspod@gmail.com or reach out to Seth on Instagram at @sethlloyds.

• Creativity Coaching: Seth is a creativity guide who helps people develop spiritual and creative practices through somatic methods and active imagination, leading to a more satisfying and embodied life.Email Seth.Stephenson@protonmail.com for inquiries.

Send your email to join the MoM Underground: Co-create with a community of artists and stay informed of online and local events, including gatherings, concerts, live podcast recordings, meditations, etc.

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