Ouija board expert Karen A. Dahlman joined guest host Rich Berra (email) in the first half of the show to shed light on and demystify talking boards. She emphasized that they are simply tools for focus and channeling rather than a source of fear or superstition. Dahlman shared her first experience with an Ouija board in 1973 when friends introduced her to it under the guise of a game. That experience—where they claimed to communicate with a deceased twin sister—sparked her lifelong interest in the board and afterlife communication. She explained that her early openness to the experience allowed her to explore the tool freely. She recalled receiving a board as a Christmas gift and discovered later that her family had a hidden history of spiritualism and seance practices.

Dahlman discussed her evolving understanding of the afterlife, shaped by years of working with the Ouija board and other spiritual practices like hypnosis and past life regression. She believes the afterlife is not a static place but one of continued growth and personal choice. Souls, she revealed, can choose how they appear or exist in the afterlife—some growing up if they died young, others returning to a more vibrant version of themselves. Communication with spirits is also selective, she continued, noting some entities are eager to talk, while others prefer different forms of connection like dreams or direct channeling.

Dahlman traced the history and function of the Ouija board, pointing out that the modern talking board originated in the U.S. in the late 1800s—not from ancient practices—and was commercialized during a time of national mourning and interest in spiritualism. The name "Ouija" came from a session where the board spelled the term itself, claiming it meant "good luck," she reported. Dahlman acknowledged the ideomotor effect as a scientific explanation for how the board moves, while also emphasizing that honest communication with other dimensions is possible for those who are open and spiritually attuned. The board is a catalyst for inner development, creativity, and connection to universal consciousness, with potential applications far beyond just speaking to the dead, she said.

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Author Varla Ventura offered a fascinating exploration of the cultural and mythological significance of plants, starting with the infamous poison apple. She explained that the apple's association with poison stems not from the biblical Garden of Eden, but more likely from European fairy tales like Snow White, where a rare and highly prized fruit is manipulated by someone who has access both to the fruit and to poisons. Historically, apples were exotic and rare, once reserved for royalty and elites, which may have led to their mystical and dangerous symbolism in stories. She emphasized how plants, like apples, became part of lore due to their rarity and exotic appeal, giving them an aura of magic or danger in folklore.

Ventura delved into her connection to plants, describing how she was raised by a witch and surrounded by herbalism and horticulture from a young age. Her early experiences with plants like Angel's Trumpet and deadly nightshade, combined with her work as a nursery professional and "rotten botanist," fueled a lifelong passion for unusual and magical flora. She discussed plants like the Titan Arum, or corpse flower, which emits a scent of rotting flesh to attract carrion insects for pollination. These bizarre characteristics, like heat production and massive size, illustrate the strange adaptations some plants have evolved for survival and reproduction, she noted.

Ventura drew compelling links between plants and vampire mythology. Garlic, widely known as a vampire deterrent, has powerful medicinal properties historically used to ward off illness—making its folkloric use against vampires both practical and symbolic. She explained that corn, due to the improper preparation by early European adopters, led to niacin deficiency (pellagra), whose symptoms—sensitivity to light, aggression, and a sickly appearance—mirrored vampire traits and helped fuel vampire hysteria in parts of Europe. According to Ventura, this shows how cultural misunderstandings of plant use and nutrition helped shape supernatural beliefs.

At the start of hour three, actor Jon Gries, who plays Greg/Gary in The White Lotus, shared insights into his experience on the show and his character's evolution over three seasons. Gries reflected on the emotional complexity and isolation of his character, who, despite immense wealth, is marked by paranoia and mistrust. Gries recounted the surreal privilege of filming in exotic locations like Hawaii, Italy, and Thailand, calling it "living his best life." Beyond acting, he touched on a personal UFO sighting in Nevada and a vivid experience his brother had in Oregon, expressing a fascination with the unexplained. He also mentioned his next project, the show Fallout, and his enthusiasm for reuniting with co-star Walton Goggins.