Carmen Spagnola is a wilderness guide, podcast host, Le Cordon Bleu-trained Chef, rose and vegetable gardener, collapse-aware coach, and witch of no particular affiliation.

In this episode, we discuss the ongoing saga of her 300+ lb. TikTok-famous pumpkin and explore the term “collapse” as it relates to being collapse aware as an individual and as a collective.

We wind through her journey from being a latchkey kid to attending Le Cordon Bleu in France to working on mega yachts — learning the depths of hospitality and writing her new cookbook, Spirited Kitchen. We also explore the practice of feeding memory as a way to connect with and honor our ancestors, even if they weren’t always the most honorable.

Together, Carmen and I look at the large, societal problems that inevitably cause grief. And Carmen shares ways to soothe ourselves and move out of a freeze state in the face of such big issues and feelings.

More from Carmen

• The Spirited Kitchen Cookbook
• The Numinous Network
• Yuletide Workshop
• Carmen’s Instagram @carmenspagnola
• Carmen’s TikTok @itscarmenspagnola