What Happens When You Get Spiritual (But Not Religious) with Anne Bokma

Send us Fan MailOkay friends, we’re getting our woo on. And before you roll your eyes, let’s talk about that word for a sec. My guest today, award-winning journalist Anne Bokma, makes an amazing point: why do we call women’s spiritual practices “woo woo” while accepting some seriously wild stuff from organized religion as totally normal? Virgin births, anyone?Anne is the author of My Year of Living Spiritually: From Woo Woo to Wonderful, and this conversation had me nodding, laughing, and getting misty-eyed in equal measure. I’d read her book once before, but re-reading it hit different. We get into everything: death, drugs, dating in your 60s, and what happens when you go looking for meaning without the rules of religion.Anne shares how she left a strict Dutch church upbringing, lost connection with her family over it, and then spent a year trying every spiritual practice she could find, from meditation and gratitude journaling to witch camp, past life regression, and yes, magic mushrooms. We talk about what worked, what didn’t, and what she learned about trusting her own intuition.This episode isn’t about becoming a crystal-carrying moon priestess (unless that’s your jam). It’s about finding a deeper sense of connection on your own terms. Whether you’ve got religious trauma, church nostalgia, or just an inner skeptic who still kinda wants to believe, Anne’s story will remind you that spirituality doesn’t have to come with a side of guilt.What’s Inside:How Anne’s “Year of Living Spiritually” helped her heal from religious trauma and reconnect with her momThe difference between religion and spirituality and why women’s wisdom has been dismissed as “woo”What happened when Anne tried everything from witch camp to magic mushroomsHow activism (like protesting Bill Cosby’s show) can be a deeply spiritual actWhat does being “spiritual” mean to you? Is it lighting candles and meditating, or is it showing up in the world with more compassion and courage? Whatever your version looks like, it’s about feeling connected and awake. That could be you. I’d love to know what practices make you feel more grounded (or more “woo”). Message me on Instagram and let’s talk about it.Mentioned in This Episode:My Year of Living Spiritually: From Woo-Woo to Wonderful by Anne BokmaAnne Bokma’s WebsiteAnne Bokma on InstagramOonagh Duncan on InstagramFit Feels GoodLeave me a voice note on Speak Pipe!