This morning I was happy to discover Alice Marie [1], a warm, smoky-voiced, spiritual podcaster. Though she spends most of her time making etherically-tinged music [2] that sounds like a blend of Alanis Morissette [3], Natalie Merchant [4], and Enya [5], the New York City-based singer-songwriter has recently delved into the world of podcasting with her show [6] Let’s Get Metaphysical with Alice Marie. The six ten-minute, “punny” episodes so far range from an interview with ritual expert Barbara Biziou [7] to her own musings on feng shui, “Who Moved my Ch’i?” One enthusiastic listener attested: “I feel all warm and loved. Her voice is so calming, like a friend I’ve known forever. I can’t wait to listen to more of these.”

I agree. Unlike most spiritual podcasts I’ve heard, hers are imminently listenable. She tells stories, recommends books and music and encourages listeners to grab a warm cup of “spirituali-tea”––all in compelling, sly, and compassionate tones and gentle humor. In her feng shui show, she talks about the importance of softening angles, of clearing out as metaphor: “I hold the intention that as I’m moving the furniture I’m also clearing out space in me, in my mind, in my heart, making room.” She says that author and counselor Martha Beck asks clients to describe their houses to her. “And she says ‘That’s you, you have described yourself.’ If you’re feeling a little claustrophobic, maybe that’s something to look at.” You can start by clearing out the clutter on your hard drive, your wallet (toss the “pictures of people you don’t like any more”), clearing out the clutter of your time, she says. “Julia Cameron even suggests going on a reading deprivation. For a week. Don’t read anything. Find out what happens. What are you going to fill that space with?”

And then she grabs her music and sings a mantra for us to chant while we’re busy clearing, cleaning, tossing for the sake of enhanced energy flow: “I clear a space, I clear a space, I clear a space for something new.” I cringed a little until she said, “Okay, it’s a little cheesy. Get it? Ch’i-sy.”

Photo: Alice Marie @ alicemarie.net [8]