The Woman Behind the Mic — A Conversation with Dr. Sandra Marie

In this milestone 100th episode of Happy Hour for the Spiritually Curious, the tables are turned as host Dr. Sandra Marie steps into the guest seat. Interviewed by longtime friend and collaborator Connie, this conversation offers listeners a rare, honest look at the woman behind the mic and the journey that shaped the podcast over its first four seasons.

Together, they reflect on how curiosity, listening, and comfort with not knowing have evolved through 100 conversations exploring spirituality, consciousness, and lived experience. Dr. Sandra Marie shares how hosting the podcast has shifted the way she listens, why silence has become just as important as dialogue, and how staying grounded in authenticity has remained central to the show’s purpose.

The episode also includes a lighthearted rapid-fire segment, giving listeners a glimpse into Sandra’s everyday life, rituals, quirks, and comforts—alongside reflections on what she hopes Happy Hour for the Spiritually Curious continues to offer as it moves into Season 5.

This episode is both a celebration and a reset—honoring what has been built while gently opening the door to what’s next.

Chapters

• 0:00 Celebrating 100 Episodes
• 1:49 Reflections on Growth and Change
• 4:10 Evolving Understanding of Spirituality
• 5:55 Challenges and Doubts in Podcasting
• 7:44 Listening and Conversational Skills
• 8:39 Rapid Fire: Getting to Know Dr. Sandra
• 16:30 Personal Insights and Preferences
• 21:34 Looking Ahead: The Future of the Podcast

Transcript

speaker-1 (00:01.838)
Enjoy this Wild Soul Gathering production. I'm Dr. Sander Marie. Pour yourself a really tall glass of spiritual curiosity and join me for the happy hour for the Spiritually Curious podcast. In the spirit of happy hour, cheers to some new insights, peace, revitalization, and perhaps an aha moment that may change your life.

Hello everyone and welcome to a very special episode of Happy Hour for the Spiritually Curious. Today is not just any episode, it is Dr. Sandra Marie's 100th episode, which feels worth celebrating in a big way. Now normally, Sandra is the one asking the thoughtful questions, but today we're going to turn the tables on her. I'm Connie and I have the absolute honor of interviewing my soul friend of over 20 years.

We've walked through many seasons of our lives together and I can't think of a better way to mark this milestone than inviting you to get to know the woman behind the mic a little bit more. So I encourage you to grab your favorite drink, settle in, and let's toast to 100 episodes of curiosity and connection. Welcome Dr. Sandra Murray.

Thank you. That was really just a beautiful introduction. And I do have to say it's different being on the other side. So I appreciate you doing this and I'm excited for this episode. Definitely a big milestone.

And you should thank me because I did not want to do this. I don't like to be on camera. I don't like to be on audio. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. And I do want to participate in the celebration. So before we fully dive in to getting to know the woman behind the mic, I'd like to know how are you really feeling stepping into this 100 episode moment?

speaker-1 (01:32.64)
FAST

speaker-1 (01:49.198)
You don't have to tell you, I'm feeling really energized.

Well, before we start talking about 2026, I'd like to take just a few minutes and let's do a little look back. I'm going to ask you some questions about where you've been with this podcast. So when you think back to that very first episode, what feels most different about how you're showing up today?

gosh, that's a great question because it is truly night and day. I would say the biggest difference is I'm really less interested in sounding like I know something. Early on, to be honest with you, I felt the pressure to be like helpful, insightful, have something life-changing to say. Now I trust that just holding the conversation truly is enough. I'm more comfortable with the pausing.

And honestly, not knowing and letting things just unfold naturally, it's been really a change.

You know, that's been my experience in listening to your early episodes, to listening to some of your more recent ones. I absolutely do think you're spot on with that reflection. I would like to know now, what surprised you most about hosting this podcast? Either about yourself, the conversations you've had, or the listeners.

speaker-1 (03:05.794)
That's an interesting question. would say, honestly, I didn't expect how much I'd be changed by listening. So when you think that you're the person doing the interview and managing the conversation a little bit, you're also a listener, just like everyone else. And I've had the opportunity to re-listen to these conversations multiple times during the editing process, which really gave me time to reflect and

ponder a lot of the information or insights that were in those conversations. And I have to say, Connie, I have truly had my own series of aha moments over the past four seasons.

And you do love a good aha moment. I know that this podcast was not something you planned to do. I remember just because you and I have walked the last 20 plus years together, that this was something you really felt pulled to do, not necessarily something you wanted to do. But I know that when you were...

That- that I do.

speaker-0 (04:10.154)
Exploring what you wanted this podcast to be and what you wanted to bring into the universe with this podcast was a safe space for people to learn, investigate, and listen to different perspectives on spirituality. I'm curious for you as an individual who is absolutely spiritually curious, has your understanding of spirituality changed since you started Happy Hour?

Wow, that's a great question. Yeah, definitely. My understanding of spirituality has shifted with the show. I guess I would say it's like truth. Your truth is fluid based on new information, a more focused awareness on something. I have had the opportunity to have conversations with a lot of different guests with unique views and many who focused on spirituality from niches that

are not necessarily very mainstream. So that has exposed me to a lot of new and different information than at different points of views with it. And it's definitely influenced how I have looked at many of the pieces, parts of spirituality and spirituality as a whole for sure.

Now I know that this is a lot of work. This podcast, I've never hosted a podcast. I don't know a lot of influencers that build their own content. But what I have learned as a behind the scenes supporter is that there is a lot of work that goes into this podcast or any podcast. So I'm just curious along this journey, was there ever a moment when you seriously questioned whether to continue the podcast? Cause I know it's,

It is a lot of work. takes time away from other things that I know are, that you're very passionate about. So yeah, has there ever been a moment of doubt or like, this isn't what I wanted to do. I felt called to do it, I've done it, now I'm ready to move on.

speaker-1 (06:09.154)
All of that. Absolutely all of that. Most definitely. But when I really sat with it, because I did struggle with it a little bit last fall, what I realized is it wasn't about the podcast itself. It was really more about whether the format with the podcast still fit who I was becoming, you know, as I was evolving. Really, when I sat with it, it was about staying true to the initial intentions.

I had when I first started this show, when the show was first conceptualized, when I went back to all of that and realized how that all fit together and it could be in an actively evolving process, I literally got super re-energized and I'm very excited about this season five.

Well, how has happy hour shaped the way that you listen in conversations, in life, or in moments of uncertainty when you feel like, I don't know if I want to continue to do this. How has happy hour helped you?

Hmm, that's a good question.

speaker-1 (07:19.966)
I would say I listen more for what's underneath, what's between the words. I don't rush to respond anymore or to like try and fix something. I literally just trust the silence more and I've definitely, yeah, I would say that I've definitely become more comfortable with silence in the conversation.

Yeah, absolutely. And knowing her, her lack of brevity at times, this is a big one for you. And I've absolutely seen the shift in you as well and how you listen and don't feel the need to fill the void or be okay with just the words landing and the people that are meant to absorb them, absorb them. And those that are not meant to absorb them, don't absorb them. And that's okay. so I love that. I love that answer. Now I do want to lighten it up a little bit because that was a little bit deep.

And I know a lot of the conversations that you have with your guests are deep. I want to get into a little bit more of Dr. Sandra Rory behind the scenes. Who is she? She doesn't talk a lot about herself. She talks a lot more to her guests. Now we're going to make her really uncomfortable and make her talk about herself. Okay, well, this is safe space, but this is rapid fire. This is a rapid fire route, meaning.

It's a scary.

speaker-0 (08:39.637)
First answer that comes to your mind, that's what I want you to respond with. I don't want you to overthink it, throw it out there. All right, we'll start with an easy one. Coffee or tea?

coffee with half and half.

Alright, does that beat out the mushroom coffee? Just side note.

Nah, not necessarily. I like the mushroom coffee too. They're pretty equal.

Alright, so coffee it is. So morning ritual or a nighttime wind down.

speaker-1 (09:05.27)
I'm sorry, I was thinking about the day when I went to go buy breakfast at a local place in this country town. lady asked me if I wanted coffee and I said, I had my, my mushroom coffee cup. And she thought it was something else.

You

It was, I was interestingly being watched while I ate my breakfast.

Bye!

speaker-0 (09:32.526)
Get out of here. Get out of here. Alright, coffee and or mushroom coffee it is. So, a morning ritual or a nighttime wind down.

Definitely a nighttime wind down.

Mountains, ocean, or desert? You've lived in all three. Where would you pick permanently?

I have.

I really have been pretty gifted. I'm gonna go with mountains, absolutely. I love the mountains and I can get my water and streams and lakes in the mountains. Mountains have a lot.

speaker-0 (10:02.336)
All right, tell me a book you swear you'll finish someday.

I feel like that there is a couple of them. I'm going to say I have started a book on animal speak a couple of times. And one of these days I'm going to finish it.

Okay, all right, so what's a book that you would recommend to somebody that is spiritually curious to start their journey?

absolutely the magic of rokey.

Alright, favorite spiritual tool. Is it a journal? Is it crystals? Tarot cards, meditation, walks in nature. What's your favorite spiritual

speaker-1 (10:40.814)
Absolutely crystals and I'll go with the pendulum if you want to narrow it down.

Okay? One word people always use, always use to describe you.

I'm going to go with quirky. Yeah, quirky. I remember you asked me this one time a very long time ago when we were working together and I said quirky and you sort of rolled your eyes and you said that was an understatement.

But yeah, I have come to appreciate all of those quirks. The funny thing to me is as I was prepping for this interview, I thought, well, what's the one word that I would use to describe Sandra? And that's really hard for me as this old friend to say one word, but I will say the first truly the first word was tall. For those of you that are not aware, Dr. Sandra Marie is almost six foot tall. And I am super envious of the fact being a shorty McShortison that she is tall, that she's a tall person. So.

So one word that you wish people used more of.

speaker-1 (11:45.624)
Kindness, definitely kindness.

If we had more kindness in the world, it expanded, it would just shift the whole environment of our homes, our relationships, our work, the world, everything. I mean, I think that it crosses all chasms of life. I mean, all chasms of life, the trees, the animals, humans, all of it, kindness.

It's one of my favorite.

speaker-0 (12:15.648)
I will say that I absolutely agree. So what is your most used emoji? I'm not talking punctuation. I'm talking emoji. I know you and I were Gen X and above at this point. And I have been called out for using the thumbs up emoji, which apparently is very Gen X. But I'd love to know what is your most used emoji?

The exclamation marks in, if you don't count that as an emoji, definitely the.

The shocked face. Surprise face. right. What is your, now you and I are both Midwestern or gals and we get the full gamut of seasons. We get all four in their ultimate glory. But I would love to know what is your favorite season of the year?

Hands down, fall. Absolutely love it.

Alright, Sunrise or Sunset? Which would you choose?

speaker-1 (13:10.695)
that's a hard one. They're both so beautiful, especially out here. I just get gorgeous skies, but I'm going to go with sunset only because I'm not always up for sunrise.

Alright, sweet or savory, what are you picking for a snack? yeah, me too. A song. Now I know music is really important to you and you listen to a lot, but what is a song that instantly lifts your mood?

Oof, savory.

speaker-1 (13:37.142)
You know what? I'm going to go with and not to toot my own horn. I'm going to go with Spiral Rebellion. I can tell you if I get up in the morning and I just fill in a funk for whatever reason, I cue that up on Spotify and it literally shifts my energy and my mood.

Tell us, well, we'll get into it maybe later, but for those that are not familiar with the spiral rebellion song, we'll talk more about that in a bit. Now, I would love to know something that you're currently obsessed with. Because I am your friend, I have no qualms in saying that I know you like to hop from project to project, from interest to interest, and you'll do them for a few months, and then you'll move on to something new. But I'd like to know what are you currently obsessed with?

epoxy.

Okay?

So I recently I finished Up well, said one word Apoxie my countertops, which I think came out quite beautiful, but I am going to really push the limits of my Skills set that I don't actually have and I'm gonna Apoxie a floor And I'm gonna really try and add some artistic coloring to it. So we'll see how that works

speaker-0 (14:31.394)
listeners.

speaker-0 (14:55.566)
Okay, all right, so you, I will say you got to see a Dr. Hitchbury behind the scenes answer, because she has been talking about epoxy nonstop for months at this point. So yes, you got a true authentic answer there with that. All right, what is your favorite comfort food?

Ooh, well, food in general is a comfort, you know, it's winter out this way and it can get pretty windy and cold and snowy. And I have to tell you some mashed potatoes with hot gravy. It's a spot.

Yes, all things potato. Absolutely. I'm a savory potato comfort food person myself. All right, now this one's a little bit more tricky because you have lived in a lot of different places, particularly within the last decade as you've traveled the world. Now, I know right now you're very happy where you are on Wild Spirit Farms, but I would love to know if you had to move to a city tomorrow, which one would you choose?

wow. Honestly, the first thing that I don't know if this will surprise you or not. The first thing that comes to mind is Cleveland. I just I truly believe my heart Cleveland's the best kept secret.

And for those of you that are not aware, Dr. St. Demery was born and raised in Cleveland. I'm actually a little bit surprised that you would say that because I know there have been other places that you have lived and visited that you were really drawn to. And I would love it if you came home to Cleveland. Wishful thinking at this point. All right. So now would you choose a quiet morning or a lively dinner?

speaker-1 (16:30.676)
you know what? I'm going to go with lively dinner party because I get quiet mornings all the time.

beautiful quiet mornings. So now you touched on crystals. You love your crystals. I know you have a lot of beautiful pieces and meaningful pieces in there. But if you had to choose a second spiritual toll, what would you choose?

Ooh, I love vibration, so I'm gonna go with definitely my tuning forks. I don't have as many of them as I have of crystals, but I have a lot. And I have the gong and the drums, but definitely, I'm gonna go with tuning forks.

All right, great. Final question. We're gonna learn a lot about you in this question. I know you don't watch a ton of TV, but I know in the winter, you do tend to hunker down a little bit more. I would love to know, what is your current guilty pleasure TV show?

Ooh, I'm going to go with The Crown. I have loved that series. And Grace and Frankie. I'm actually excited. Rumor has it that they're going to drop a 2026 series. But you're right. I watch very, very little, very little TV.

speaker-0 (17:45.942)
Yeah. Yeah. I think it's one of the things that, yeah, for both of us, we don't talk too much about TV. I have not seen either of those shows, so I'm interested off camera to learn a little bit more why you like those particular two. All right. Thank you for indulging us there. Now your torture is not done yet. I'm going to ask you a few this or that questions. And we really, really want you to try not to overthink these. There's no ulterior motive behind these questions.

other than letting your viewers know more about you. Would you prefer a deep one-on-one conversation or a lively group chat?

Okay.

speaker-1 (18:25.302)
A deep one on one conversation.

Ocean waves or forest quiet?

Ooh. Forest quiet.

structure or flow?

I'd like to say flow, it's, you know, structures. I would be a scary person without structure.

speaker-0 (18:49.55)
Planned curiosity or spun

spontaneous. I'm sorry I didn't even let you finish this question.

Okay, silence or music when you need a reset.

I know this is a quick answer, like the majority of my life it's been music and it has shifted over the past five years and it literally is silence now.

It has shifted. Alright, big questions or small daily magic?

speaker-1 (19:23.726)
small daily magic.

which is absolutely gonna shift for you as well. All right, last one, hosting or being the guest?

Hosting.

Always hosting. Alright, so now final rapid fire round. We're gonna do a finish this sentence. I want you to say the first thing that comes to your mind. want you to finish the sentence as you are the one speaking it out loud. posting this podcast has taught me that

Okay.

speaker-1 (19:57.154)
Hosting this podcast has taught me that this universe and consciousness is much bigger than I could have ever expected.

Curiosity feels most alive for me when...

It's authentic.

So a conversation that stays with me usually includes.

something unique and different as well as authentic.

speaker-0 (20:27.758)
So spirituality for me right now looks like.

everyday life.

So when I don't have the answers, I try to remember to.

Be okay with that. Be okay with that. We sure can.

That's a big one. I could do a whole podcast on that, this is rapid fire, so we're going to jump over that. Okay, so the version of me who started this podcast would be surprised that I...

speaker-1 (21:01.506)
really love doing this podcast and actually I'm pretty good at it.

You are. You are. And I know it was not what you saw as your life's path.

So it's just a three-safe.

Alright, last question of putting you on the hot seat. I hope listeners feel when they press play is...

I hope they feel like this is a place where questions are welcome and it's a place that's non-judgmental and a place they can feel safe and comfortable being.

speaker-0 (21:36.558)
Nice. I know 2026, we're at the precipice of a new year, and I know that you are excited about a lot of things that are coming to Happy Hour for the spiritually curious and for 2026 in general. But as you enter this next season, what feels most important for you to protect or preserve about the Happy Hour podcast?

I think that it's important to stay with the purpose that the podcast was conceived of to begin with and that the show stay authentic and safe for people and not performative. It's important for me that people don't feel like happy hour is part of the 10 billion dollar spiritual industry that's out there. That's not who we are. I think it's important to preserve that as we move forward.

What does feel though, like it's gently asking to evolve within happy hour without losing the heart of what this space is? Cause you've learned a lot in these 100 episodes and as we've been reflecting and I know you have been reflecting off camera about the first 99 episodes of happy hour. But what is going to evolve?

So it's really interesting because I would say the show has gone through probably three or four different iterations over these past four seasons for sure. This fifth season, what is going to shift or evolve with the show is it's always been a conversational interview show. There's always been a guest that has been there sharing. just feel really strongly it's time for me to get over my fear and start doing some solo cast. I've been nudged to do that.

for quite a while, but I just lacked the confidence and had fear to do it and it's just time to do that. So I think that that's a pretty significant evolution and iteration.

speaker-0 (23:34.454)
And as somebody that has been pushing you for solo guests, I'm really excited to hear that. Not that you haven't had some wonderful guest speakers, but I'm excited to see what you can manifest and create on your own. Let's talk a little bit about your listeners because they are why you do what you do every day with Happy Hour for the Spiritually Curious. So if someone is finding Happy Hour for the first time with this 100th episode, what do you hope they feel after listening to you, Dr.

tomorrow.

that's such an important question because it is all about them. I hope that they don't feel alone. And again, I'm going to say I hope that they feel like it's a place where they can feel safe. Their questions and curiosity are welcome. I really hope they feel that there's no pressure to believe anything. I hope it feels grounded for them, like something that they can continue to come back to.

For your listeners though that have already been here with you for a while on this journey, what would you like to say to them too?

my god, so much gratitude and appreciation. Honestly, I am just so in awe with the audience. know that there's a pretty significant global audience out there which just still is like it totally blows my mind. I'm just gonna go literally with appreciation and awe.

speaker-0 (24:53.102)
So... My mind!

speaker-0 (24:59.784)
Yeah, absolutely. Well, I will say, Sandra, this has been an absolute joy for me and as painful as it is for me to be on camera and on audio. And honestly, for me, this is such a full circle moment because we started our relationship, our friendship as people that were sitting across a desk working with each other. And now I'm sitting across a virtual desk with you 20 plus years later. But watching you grow in this space and create something that

I know is super important to you. Something that invites curiosity, honesty, and connection has been such a gift for me, not just as a listener, but as your friend. So to everyone tuning in today, we want to thank you for being part of this community and for showing up with open hearts and open minds, most importantly. We hope that you stay curious, that you stay open, and that you always make room for a little happy hour for the soul. So Sandra.

Here's to 100 episodes of meaningful conversations and to whatever beautiful unexpected places the next 100 take you. Cheers.

Cheers. Thank you so much. I'm honored that you did this. I appreciate it. I'm glad I didn't have to twist both arms.

No, but the check better be in the mail. Thank you. Alright, bye everyone.

speaker-1 (26:15.547)
Bye.

Thank you for joining us for this episode of Wild Soul Gathering's Happy Hour for the Spiritually Curious. To learn more about our guests, please go to our website, WildSoulsGathering.com. We're very eager to hear from our listeners what you thought of the episode, topics you might like us to cover in the future, your thoughts on spirituality, questions you may have. Please feel free to send us an email at WildSoulsGathering.gmail.com.

This is your host, Dr. Sandra Marie, sending each of you peace and love. Until we meet again, embrace your wild soul.