Archived Radio Show

October 30, 2023

Original Radio Show  ID:
WSA231030

Listen to the Show on the Mp3 Player below

Duration 57 minutes

The Guest interview begins at 25:00

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Featuring

Click the Name to access the Segment below

1. Commentary by Elaine B. Holtz,  Host of Women's Spaces 

2. Guest: Nikki Dohn, Astrologer, Coming out as a Witch

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1. Commentary by Elaine B. Holtz:  I am so excited, joining me in the studio is Nikki Dohn, and we will be talking about Halloween, its meaning, rituals, witches, and the holidays that follow Halloween which I found very interesting. Niki is a good friend of mine and knows a bit about Halloween and Witches. This is going to be a fun and interesting show.

Also, this is the last show of the month, wow where did October go. I felt like I was asleep, and it just flew by. We are going to do the Women’s Spaces Pledge.

This weekend Ken and I had a fun time at our two-year-old Great Grand Daughter Kaya Sierra’s 2nd Birthday Party. She was born on November 7th; guess I will wish her two Happy Birthdays. It was so fun to have a birthday party with a Halloween theme.

I am happy to announce - mark your calendars - that on November 20 the Sonoma County Chapter of the National Organization for Women will be hosting a special Zoom featuring Spiritual Teacher and one of the candidates for President this year Marianne Williamson. Williamson will be talking about her spiritual journey and some of the solutions to some of the social issues we are having. I believe she is well worth listening to. You can find all the info on the Women’s Spaces website under Announcements and on the NOW Sonoma County Facebook page. I am hoping to see all my listeners in attendance and make sure you let your friends know.

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2. Our Guest,  Nikki Dohn, after considering her interests and pursuits, such as gardening, herbs, kitchen potions, declares that she is coming out as a witch. There are many secular influences of Halloween, as well as religious with the Celtic seasonal festival of Samhain, and later All Hallows Eve, the day before All Saints Day, and two days before All Souls Day of the Catholic tradition and Day of the Dead. Nikki considers herself a White Witch, which has nothing to do with skin color, but as a way of setting oneself apart from Black Magic meant to cause harm. She is a solitary witch and refers to her Higher Power, rather than belong to a witch’s coven. The burning of witches at Salem and during the Inquisition targeted women who made use of the herbs to heal, felt by the Church to circumvent their sacramental approach administered by its priests. The Wiccan tradition of witches is matriarchal, and its modern incarnation came with the rise in the Movement for Women’s Rights. The symbol of the cauldron represents the Goddess and her womb working with the elements of fire and water. The symbol of the broomstick is meant to clear away negative energy, and the broom handle can indicate a male element and the bristles the female element. Halloween costumes were first meant to protect one from evil spirits, apparently not suspecting a person looking like them. Halloween costume parties harken back to the danse macabre. The pumpkin carving originated with Scottish and Irish immigrants to America, from their carved potatoes and turnips, again to ward off evil spirits. Nikki says that the ancient and pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain occurs at this time midpoint between Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice, considered to be a time when the veil is thinnest between the worlds and easiest time to communicate with the dead, including ancestors. It is a time of leaving the warm months behind and entering the cold season. Nikki reminds us of our deep connection and dependence on Nature and her seasonal cycles.

About our Guest:  Nikki Dohn was born a witch though she would not have identified with that label until much more recently. Through a very organic process of pursuing what appealed to her gained an understanding of many things that altogether go to defining what we think of today as witchcraft. She believes that most women and some men are naturally inclined in these ways of healing, wisdom, nurturing, community, creating wonder and empowerment even though they may not think of themselves as witches perhaps because of the prevalence of age-old stigma and misinformation.

As a young teen she was drawn to the Ouija board which I soon learned could be driven by the power of thought and influenced by anyone messing around with it. She then began to learn about astrology with professional-long study and professional practice for many years. Niki continued my studies that included the Chinese oracle, the IChing Eastern religions in my early twenties and became a lifelong devotee of Yogananda who wrote Autobiography of a Yogi.

Niki earned a master’s degree in Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology from Saybrook Graduate School which she pursued to augment my astrology practice which has been psychological and geared toward evolutionary personal growth on all levels.

Guest Link: Nikki Dohn email: lunarcycles (at) fastmail.fm

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 Herstory

Our history is our strength. Check out important dates to remember in herstory at the National Women's History Alliance, where the date descriptions were sourced unless otherwise indicated.

Herstory Birthdays:

October 30, 1896 (1985) – Ruth Gordon, actor, one of the Lost Boys in “Peter Pan,” with Garson Kanin wrote comedies for Hepburn and Tracy movies, starred as Dolly Levi in “The Matchmaker” (1954).

October 31, 1860 (1927) – Juliette Low, founder, and first president of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. From 18 girls in Savannah to a global movement to make a difference.

October 31, 1896 (1977) – Ethel Waters, singer, recorded more than 250 sides after debut (1921), unsurpassed vocalist and stylist with perfect pitch.

October 31, 1906 (1996) – Louise Talma, composer, first American woman to receive the Sibelius Medal, taught music theory and musicianship at Hunter College for 51 years.

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Announcements;

Wednesday, November 1, 2023 Peace and Justice Center issues new weekly list of events and links to community non-profit organizations:  
PJC website: www.pjcsoco.org  

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Monday, November 6, 2023, 11 AM PT # repeats 11 PM PT, the show will feature guest to be announced. Radio KBBF 89.1 FM, North SF Bay or live streaming at https://kbbf.org/live

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Wednesday, November 8, 2023, 11 AM PT, repeat of Monday's show that will feature guest to be announced.  Radio KPCA 103.3 FM, Petaluma, CA. https://petalumacommunityaccess.org/kpca 

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Monday, November 20, 2023, 6 to 7:30 PM, National Organization for Women - Sonoma County Chapter Meeting, Special Speaker: Marianne Williamson (photo to the right), via Zoom. RSVP required at http://bit.ly/3u3K0Vy .  See The Sonoma NOW website Event page for details.

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Music Selections

The Opening and Closing Theme song The Woman in Your Life is You is done with permission of the Composer and Singer Alix Dobkin ((August 16, 1940 – May 19, 2021) Alix Dobkin death was just announced - Thank you for all you did for Lesbians to be recognized and Women to be honored. May you rest in peace. See our Interview with Alix Dobkin on 12/1/2014 and our Memorial to Alix Dobkin on 5/24/2021

The Woman in Your Life is You by Alix Dobkin from the album Living with Lavender Jane (2010 Women's Wax Works) - www.alixdobkin.com

Blowing in the Wind, Bob Dylan cover sung by the Seekers from the album The Ultimate Collection (2007 Parlophone Records, LTD A Warner Music Group Company). 

Season of the Witch, Donovan cover sung by Luna from the album Lunafield  (2006 Elektra Entertainment– Manufactured & Marketed by Rhino Entertainment A Warner Music Group Company)

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For music purchasing opportunity, supporting the artists: 

Link:  Spinitron.com Playlist for Women's Spaces Show