Episodes
Sunday May 09, 2021
Sunday May 09, 2021
I'm thrilled to present the first of a two-part interview with Crisdon Chaisson, who lives in Canada and, I’m very honoured to say, is sharing her near-death experience publicly for the first time.
Crisdon’s NDE took place in 2003, when she was receiving treatment for a rare form of cancer in the jaw. As you’re about to hear, Crisdon describes her NDE in exquisite detail, and in this conversation, she shares about peeling away from her body “like cheese from a pizza,” travelling to a realm of indescribable colour, being at one with The Collective, as Crisdon calls the state of consciousness she experienced, her life review, and much much more.
Today, Crisdon is training to become a death doula, so that she can apply her unique skills and understanding in the field of end-of-life care. There’s much more to this warm, wise and feisty woman, and when I asked her to share a short bio, she cleverly asked her friends to chime in. It turned out to be such a valuable exercise, she suggests we all do it.
Here are all their responses.
“Crisdon is a tattooed, potion making, nature loving, spell casting, matrix glitching, animal communicating, spirit guiding, joke telling, barefoot walking, reiki giving, vegan kitchen witch.”
“Crisdon is a spiritual gangStar. Warrior goddess. astral traveler, metaphysical explorer and lover of all.”
“An effervescent soul with a smile to match.”
“Vibrant”
“Absolutelyfreakingspectacular”
“A miracle”
“Beautiful,magnificent,courageous,brave, adventurous, magickal, hippy, LOVING star soul sister”
“A strong, independent woman with a fire spirit!”
“Always in flux like an animated fractal unfoldment”
“A strong, beautiful, courageous, generous survivor!”
“A soul-fuelled endless dungeon, draped with insatiable cloaks of wildflowers, edges trimmed with shards of everlasting crystals, with a sea-filled charismatic aura”
“Free”
“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (3 friends said that about their friendship with Crisdon)
"Intelligent, compassionate, humble, and actual good person, completely trustworthy, organized, and absolutely hilarious!!”
Sums up Crisdon: “As I said, every person should create a bio written by people who love them.”
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Monday Apr 12, 2021
My guest today is Tricia Barker, who experienced a profound near-death experience in 1994 when she was 22, in her senior year of university. A point of difference with Tricia’s NDE is that it guided her very specifically to her life’s work, albeit kicking and screaming at first, to become a teacher in public schools, overseas and at university level. Today, she’s a professor of English and Creative Writing in Fort Worth, Texas.
The author of the memoir Angels in the OR: What Dying Taught Me About Healing, Survival, and Transformation, Tricia interviews fellow near-death experiencers on her YouTube channel. I had a fantastic time speaking to Tricia, who shares candidly about the trauma that followed her NDE, including a sexual assault she experienced while teaching in South Korea. If this topic is upsetting, and you’re in Australia, please contact 1800Respect.org.au or call them 24 hours a day on 1800 737 732. If you are in another country, please ensure you seek out appropriate support services in your area.
Enjoy my conversation with near-death experiencer Tricia Barker.
Connect with Tricia at her website.
Buy Tricia’s book Angels in the Or on Amazon.
Subscribe to Tricia’s YouTube channel.
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.
Sunday Mar 28, 2021
Cold Hands, Warm Heart - A ghost story you'll never forget
Sunday Mar 28, 2021
Sunday Mar 28, 2021
My guest today has a chilling ghost story to share about an unforgettable chain of events that took place in 1969, when she was 12 years old and living with her family in the western suburbs of Melbourne. This is a memorable story because it demonstrates that, in an otherworldly encounter, as much as in everyday life, things aren’t always as they might at first appear…
Today Coral lives on the Sunshine Coast in Qld with her husband, adult son and two fur babies. Before her retirement, she worked in Childcare and in Financial Services. Yet when I think of Coral, I think “survivor,” and when you hear her story, you’ll know why. Coral’s captivating ghost story takes a turn that I was not expecting, into the devastation wreaked by domestic violence. Please note that her account contains graphic descriptions of violence inflicted upon her mother. If you are experiencing or have experienced domestic or family violence, please contact the Australian counselling service 1800Respect.org.au or call them 24 hours a day on 1800 737 732.
In 1969, there were no support services available to Coral, her mum or her three siblings. All lived in the midst of a war zone every day and with the exception of her maternal grandparents, who offered brief moments of respite, no-one came to their aid. Well, no-one living, that is.
By turns wondrous, horrific, fascinating and tragic, Coral’s story is about the courage it takes to hope in the face of deepest darkness, and the strength and resilience that yields. It’s also about the rewards of looking for answers outside of the obvious, and ultimately, about compassion and care strong enough to pierce the veil between life and death.
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Karina Machado welcomes a one-of-a-kind guest, a two-time near-death experiencer who’s also a heart-transplant recipient.
Rob A. Gentile is the son of Italian immigrants. He grew up in Pennsylvania, where his father worked in a steel mill. Rob also works in the steel industry, as a sales rep, and he’s been married to Melanie for more than thirty years. Together they’ve devoted themselves to their daughter with special needs, Maria, who is in her twenties and has Rett Syndrome. Rob calls Maria “the hero of my life” and tells me in our conversation that she’s his greatest teacher. Yet throughout her childhood he grappled with difficult questions about why children suffer. Answers came in a sudden and unexpected way—at age fifty-six he had a massive heart attack, then flatlined, and had a near-death experience. Four months later, while awaiting his donor heart, he had another NDE – a profound and powerful encounter that transformed Rob’s life.
Rob came back with beautiful and profound understandings about the cosmically unified nature of God and reality, which he shares in his newly released book, Quarks of Light, which also details the fascinating story of how Rob met the family of Molli, the young woman who donated her heart, and the many synchronicities between them. Getting to know Molli, whose heart beats within him, has compelled Rob to help raise awareness of suicide prevention. Rob’s story includes references to suicide; if you need support, in Australia, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
For now, please settle in to enjoy my conversation with Rob A Gentile. There’s so much he shares, from knowledge he gained about our ultimate unity and interconnectedness, to his life-changing understanding about the power of a single act, and a timely reminder about the significance of our relationships, this is one episode that might just give you a new heart, too.
Connect with Rob at his website.
Buy Rob’s new book, Quarks of Light on Amazon in Australia.
Connect with Rob on Facebook.
Connect with Rob on Twitter.
Connect with Rob on Instagram.
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.
Monday Feb 15, 2021
Monday Feb 15, 2021
Here's part two of Karina Machado's conversation with the trail-blazing Australian former Olympic pistol shooter Evania. If you haven’t listened to part one, please scroll down and click on that first so that you grasp the full breadth of Evania’s life story. In this episode, she goes into more depth about her plans to run for federal parliament, and how that ties in with her aim to “expand her service to humanity.” She shares her key mantra, which ties in beautifully with her life-changing encounter with the light, and we talk about how it’s time for women leaders to fearlessly bring through the energy of the Divine Feminine. There’s also a very moving story Evania shares about healing childhood trauma and how looking after her parents when they had dementia was like being gifted the children she never had. At the end, Evania shares her key takeaway from her immersion in the Light, you won’t want to miss that!
Enjoy the episode. (PS: If you love Spirit Sisters, please rate and review the show, it helps more people find their way to it. Thanks!)
Connect with Evania and buy her novel When the Student is Ready at her website.
Connect with Evania at her ‘Evania for Senate’ Facebook page.
Connect with Evania on Facebook.
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.
Sunday Feb 07, 2021
Sunday Feb 07, 2021
Born Lynne-Marie Uden in South Australia, my guest changed her name to Evania in 1995. More on that later ... Evania has blazed a trail in so many areas of her life; a former police officer in South Australia, she went on to work for the United Nations in Vienna in Security & Safety services and later, became the first female sports reporter in Queensland.
As she hit career highs, Evania was also going from strength to strength in her sport: pistol shooting, which culminated in her representing Australia at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, the only woman on the shooting team. But what should have been one of the joyous moments of her life was overshadowed by what happened when she returned from the Games. As Evania puts it, her whole life caved in and she lost everything, husband, possessions, cars businesses, the lot.
Then on December 12 of that year, 1992, Evania had a spiritual experience that transformed the course of her life. The effects of that unexpected gift were so staggering that nothing was ever the same again.
Enjoy part one of my two-part conversation with the inspiring Evania.
Connect with Evania and buy her books at her website.
Follow Evania's bid for senate at her ‘Evania for Senate’ Facebook page.
Connect with Evania on Facebook.
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.
Sunday Jan 17, 2021
Sunday Jan 17, 2021
Today, I have someone very special to introduce you to, my friend Danielle. Dani, who’s become a beloved mentor to me, is a retired medical administrator in the field of palliative care. She’s a quiet and super caring soul with an extraordinary gift - Dani has been seeing and communicating with spirits all her life.
Dani and I met over email three years ago, after she heard me on a radio interview and reached out to share her joy at feeling, finally, that she’s not alone in experiencing the spiritual encounters she’d been having since she was five.
You’re about to hear some fascinating stories. From the tiny spirit of a little girl lost called Annabelle who showed up in Dani’s home, pleading for help, to the ongoing, detailed dream visions about high-profile missing children, that together encompass a prominent theme in Dani’s life. “I’m always looking for home,” Dani tells me, and so, of course, are these blessed children. What is it that draws these lost children to Dani? We talk about that too…
Dani shares her thoughts about how grief can hold our late loved ones back, about her lifelong fascination with native American culture and the past life in that time that she and her beloved dad lived together. She reveals the very moving story of the crisis apparition of her dear friend, Emmanuel, who manifested in her bedroom at the moment of his passing to let her know he was ok, and she also talks candidly about her recent journey with breast cancer and the unexpected beauty and blessings she found as she and her husband walked that rocky path together.
There’s so much more. I encourage you to stick around to the end as Dani shares some parting words that will impact you deeply.
Finally, as tends to happen when I interview psychic-mediums, for most of the conversation you will be able to hear what sounds like another conversation going on in the background. Both Dani and I were alone in our homes during the recording, with no TVs on nearby. Intriguing indeed… oh, and don’t forget to check Facebook, where I’ll posting pics relating to the uncanny moments Dani describes.
For now, settle in and enjoy my conversation with one of my own dearest spirit sisters…
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.
Tuesday Jan 05, 2021
Tuesday Jan 05, 2021
Happy new year and welcome to the (Australian) summer-holiday edition of Spirit Sisters. I’m taking a short break and will be back very soon to share a wonderful conversation with someone extraordinarily gifted, which I know you’re going to love. I’m also planning the recording schedule for the new year, and corresponding with lots of incredible people, I can’t wait to bring you these conversations. On that note, if you have a story to share, please get in touch with me via email or via direct message on my Facebook page . I’m always excited to think of all the amazing untold stories that are out there.
Speaking of amazing stories, I have a treat for you. I’m going to read out a letter I received when I researching my book Spirit Sisters in 2008. The letter is about a near-death experience, although the writer refers to it as an OBE or out-of-body experience. The label doesn’t matter, because what you’re about to hear is a firsthand account of a profound and life-changing moment in the life of my correspondent, Sandra James. I should point out that prior to relating her memory of this otherworldly encounter, she leads into it with an account of an earlier near-death experience during surgery. Though less spectacular, this was also clearly important to the trajectory of Sandra’s story, so I’ve included it in the telling.
Sandra’s story, which is as tragic as it’s beautiful, was published in Spirit Sisters under the title The View From There and to this day it’s one of my all-time favourites. I’ve actually been looking for Sandra as I’d love to have her on the show, but I’ve had no luck finding her. Sandra, if you’re out there, please do get in touch!
If you’re lucky enough to be enjoying some holiday downtime, check out the show notes too, as I’ve included links to some popular episodes of Spirit Sisters, and also some of my favourite episodes of my previous podcast, The Ghost Files. I know that many of you really miss The Ghost Files, so I thought today I’d rekindle that spooky spark by reminding you of some of the chilling and wonderful conversations I enjoyed when I was hosting that show. As I’d often say back then, get ready for goosebumps…
If you’re in the mood for chills…
https://play.acast.com/s/the-ghost-files/partone-myhousetriedtokillme
https://play.acast.com/s/the-ghost-files/part2-thespiritinmyhousetriedtokillme
If you need a reminder that love never dies….
https://play.acast.com/s/the-ghost-files/celestesshareddeathexperiencewithherlittlesister..-
https://play.acast.com/s/the-ghost-files/themessage
https://play.acast.com/s/the-ghost-files/hecametosaygoodbye
If you’re craving stories of miraculous encounters…
https://spiritsistersthepodcast.podbean.com/e/healed-by-mother-mary/
If you want to hear about an astounding near-death experience …
https://spiritsistersthepodcast.podbean.com/e/a-conversation-with-jesus/
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.
Monday Dec 21, 2020
Monday Dec 21, 2020
Karina Machado speaks with Spanish-born Sydneysider Jorge Golvano. On June 11, 2020, Jorge’s soul mate Ana died of breast cancer. Her "transformation," as Jorge calls it, opened the way to an entirely new existence for Jorge, an IT specialist who had no prior interest whatsoever in spiritual matters. In fact, he still says he’s not spiritual, even though he has conversations with Ana every day, and Ana cleverly makes use of electronic equipment to communicate as she understands that’s a medium Jorge is comfortable with.
It’s an intriguing and life-affirming story which includes an amazing evidential story involving a strand of Ana's hair, among many other communications from her. Suffice to say that their enduring love is another beautiful example of how, as Jorge succinctly puts it, “we never stop being.”
Oh, and one more thing. It was Ana who wanted Jorge to come on the show. In a Spirit Sisters first, she even orchestrated phenomena in my home that, in retrospect, we worked out was her way of green-lighting our conversation. Enjoy my conversation with Jorge Golvano.
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.
Sunday Dec 06, 2020
Dancing in the Light of Love - the healing power of a spiritual reunion
Sunday Dec 06, 2020
Sunday Dec 06, 2020
My guest today is Honey Booth, a musician who’s studying to be a counsellor, who lives in Western Australia. As soon as I read her email, I wanted to bring Honey on the show because her story about her bond with her mother that has only strengthened and deepened following her passing is one that I know will resonate with so many of you. This is especially true if you love or have loved someone who struggles with mental illness. Honey’s mum, Julie, passed away in 2016 aged only 50.
Yet death proved the gateway to a beautiful new relationship for Honey and her mum, the kind of relationship that was not available to them in real life. I hope you enjoy this episode, in which Honey and I discuss compassion, forgiveness, self-forgiveness, cycles of trauma and much more, including the extraordinary spiritual experience which sparked a profound healing.
Listen to Honey sing a raw version of her song, "Gardening the Constellations," written for her mum.
Connect with Karina Machado at karinamachado.com
Buy the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters as a paperback at Booktopia.
Buy the e-book of the 10th anniversary edition of Spirit Sisters at Kobo.
Buy the audio book of the original Spirit Sisters (narrated by me) at Audible.
Connect with Karina on Facebook.
Connect with Karina on Instagram.