Cults to Consciousness

Raised in a strict Muslim community in Australia, YouTuber Infidel Noodle led a double life for 5 years before making the big decision to leave her parents’ home before marriage. This meant she would be cut off from her family due to disobedience and not fulfilling her role as a woman. When she posted on TikTok about her heartache being ostracized, her video went viral and she decided to remain vocal about the struggles exMuslims face. However, for the safety of her loved ones and herself, she wears a mask to remain anonymous. Click here to watch on YouTube Find her on Social! YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@InfidelNoodle IG: @infidel.noodle  Resource for those leaving Islam and need help:  https://www.freeheartsfreeminds.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:02 Why Infidel Noodle wears a mask 00:03:59 Reactions Noodle has received for speaking out on her channel 00:06:35 What it was like for IN growing up in South Africa 00:07:39 Life in New Zealand 00:10:12 The changes a young IN experienced once her parents introduced fundamentalist Islam into her life 00:11:42 How the modesty requirements increased 00:14:52 The changes IN experienced when she moved to Australia 00:18:10 Did IN push back on the strict rules with her parents? 00:20:42 Studying the scripture is what made IN want to leave Islam 00:26:13 Infidel Noodle would hide her "regular" clothes in the car 00:29:18 Finally, after 5 years, IN told her boyfriend about her double life 00:29:58 The tense time IN got spotted outside wearing shorts 00:31:50 At 20, IN decided she didn't want to live her double life anymore 00:33:56 The falling out Infidel Noodle had with her parents 00:38:54 IN planed her escape 00:41:10 Leaving the community behind 00:43:19 Infidel Noodle posts to TikTok and goes viral 00:47:34 How IN's siblings responded to her leaving Islam 00:52:13 The de*th threats IN gets 00:56:28 What made Infidel Noodle start a YouTube channel to speak out further? 00:58:54 Is IN worried about people finding out her identity? 01:00:31 The consequences of leaving Islam 01:03:48 What brings Infidel Noodle joy now? 01:05:24 linda, listen 01:07:41 Why Aisha goes by "Infidel Noodle" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zara Kay went viral when she was wrongfully arrested and detained for seemingly no reason. She tweeted that she needed help and since becoming an Australian citizen, she got the consulate involved. It appears that the Tanzanian, Islamic cult she grew up in, was unhappy with her outspoken (contradictory to teachings) opinions on social media and seems to have paid the Tanzanian police to arrest her while visiting home during the pandemic in 2020. No formal charges were made after ransacking her home and detaining her for hours. Soon after her release, personal information and messages were leaked to the public, her family and her received multiple death threats. She now runs The Faithless Hijabi where she provides support for ex Muslims.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Zara on social media:  IG: @zarakayk   YT: https://www.youtube.com/@ZaraKayk (The Untethered Mind) Website:  https://www.faithlesshijabi.org/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:02:45 Zara's Strict Upbringing in Tanzania 00:06:45 Zara's Desire for More in Life 00:09:58 Strict Rules of Zara's Childhood 00:14:24 Hijab Wearing Practices in Zara's Community 00:15:54 The Influence of Islamic Culture in Tanzania 00:26:51 Zara's father changes his mind last minute about her moving out 00:28:57 Zara's New Experiences as a College Student 00:31:44 How Zara felt like breaking former rules  00:34:31 Learning about s*x from magazines 00:38:44 Zara's terrifying jump out of the comfort zone 00:41:07 Zara's face to face confrontation with a gay man 00:42:44 Zara Begins Receiving Threats for Speaking Up on Social Media 00:48:58 Why Tanzania police unexpectedly arrested Zara 00:53:42 Zara's experience with the corrupt police of Tanzania 00:57:34 CW:  Attempted SA in Tanzanian Jail 01:00:48 Zara escaped charges but couldn't leave the country 01:02:54 Zara's family got de@th threats after leaked messages 01:06:44 Tanzanian cult leaders are HOW rich?! 01:09:11 What is the "Faithless Hijabi?" 01:14:40 Precautions Zara Takes for Her Safety 01:16:06 How Zara is doing now 01:18:15 Linda, Listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joining us today to follow up her incredible interview is South Asian ExMuslim, Haram Doodles.  In one of her first public appearances unmasked, she recounted what it was like growing up with a life of restriction and fear from her parents, her culture, and God-- and why and how she ultimately left Islam.  Today she addresses the controversial topic:  Islamophobia.    Speaking out on social media as an artist and ExMuslim Atheist, her art is a collection of haram (forbidden) doodles that advocate in solidarity with other courageous ExMuslims who’ve left Islam as a protest of Islam's strict restrictions.  Her hopes are to spread the word about Ex-Muslim Awareness Month this December.  Click here to watch on YouTube Watch her initial interview here Find Haram Doodles: Twitter: https://x.com/HaramDoodles IG: @haramdoodles   Official website: https://haramdoodles.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of her first public appearances unmasked, South Asian ExMuslim, Haram Doodles, recounts what it was like growing up with a life of restriction and fear from her parents, her culture, and God.  She reveals the details of why and how she ultimately left Islam.  Speaking out now on social media as an artist and ExMuslim Atheist, her art is a collection of haram (forbidden) doodles that advocate in solidarity with other courageous ExMuslims who’ve left Islam as a protest of Islam's strict restrictions.  She tells her story to spread the word about Ex-Muslim Awareness Month this December.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Haram Doodles: Twitter: https://x.com/HaramDoodles IG: @haramdoodles   Official website: https://haramdoodles.com We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:26 Haram's life growing up as a child to immigrant parents and a Muslim 00:06:21 Planting seeds of doubt with the dinosaurs 00:08:38 Haram's teen years living with cognitive dissonance and finding ways to grow socially 00:10:58 What pun*shments looked like for Haram growing up 00:11:53 Haram's anxiety about doing the wrong thing and the pressure to answer to a higher power 00:14:27 How learning about other religions gave Haram some perspective on the world 00:16:24 The differences between how men and women are treated in Islam 00:20:45 What the Quran says about women and how Haram felt about it before and after college 00:23:47 How purity culture and modesty rules in Islam are viewed as protection for women 00:27:47 Haram's experience with facing marriage early, how college allowed her to put it off, and the rules she faced around going to school 00:30:23 Religious reasoning for young women and girls getting married 00:33:31 Studying the Quran in college from a professor who was also a Muslim 00:38:01 How women inflict gender roles onto themselves under the influence of Islam 00:40:37 How did Haram's mother feel about her role as a Muslim woman 00:43:22 Shaming others for not practicing Islam 00:43:46 Figuring out what is means to be an American Muslim 00:44:07 Figuring out what is means to be an American Muslim 00:46:07 The lack of support and shaming from Haram's family for not following a Muslim lifestyle 00:48:12 The difficulties of a lack of individuality for Muslim women 00:49:29 TW: Su*cidal ideation 00:51:51 How Haram met her husband and why she started Haram Doodles 00:57:39 What Haram Doodles has done for Haram and her followers 01:00:08 How Haram's drawings can help activate a person's critical thinking in a softer way 01:03:03 Finding bravery in her work as an artist 01:05:01 Haram's moment of freedom in Norway 01:11:54 Truly listening and seeing ex-Muslims for who they are and not for their choice to leave Islam and ex-Muslim awareness month 01:14:22 How Haram is doing now 01:16:22 Taking back power over your own body 01:19:38 Linda, listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joining us today to follow up her initial interview is Sara Glass.  Sara vulnerably shares in great detail about what it was like navigating s*x, pregnancy, chiIdbirth and postpartum as a Hasidic Ultra Orthodox woman who was also gay.  Click to watch on YouTube Watch her initial full interview here Find Sara on social media: Website: https://www.drsaraglass.com Book: “Kissing Girls on Shabbat”  IG: @drsaraglass  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/drsaraglass We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sara Glass knew she kept falling in love with women, but that didn’t matter. She knew her place as an Ultra Orthodox woman. She was placed into an arranged marriage to a man shortly after graduating high school and she painfully left her girlfriend behind. Sara vulnerably shares in great detail about what it was like navigating s*x, pregnancy, chiIdbirth and postpartum as a Hasidic woman who was also gay.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Sara! Website: https://www.drsaraglass.com Book: “Kissing Girls on Shabbat”  IG: @drsaraglass  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/drsaraglass We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:56 Growing up in a Hasidic neighborhood in Brooklyn and falling in love with other girls as a teen 00:05:57 Sara grapples with who she has been taught God is, Jewish law, and her actions 00:07:32 Keeping an open heart and connecting to the story with your own struggles  00:08:27 How marriage classes surprised Sara and the emphasis on the holiness of consummation 00:12:20 How a lack of s*x education led to confusion and an invasion of privacy from the Rabbi 00:18:52 What Sara's first pregnancy was like and her complicated feelings afterwards  TW: m*scarriage 00:22:06 The differences between m*scarrying a girl fetus and a boy fetus 00:23:40 Sara's husband takes the rules even further 00:25:49 What it was like giving birth without her husband in a secular hospital as a Hasidic Jewish woman 00:27:22 What the rules for birth control were in Sara's community 00:30:44 Gender roles in the Hasidic community and how the community is built around them 00:34:16 Mental health in this Hasidic community and Sara's fight for higher education 00:39:21 More rules around giving birth 00:42:48 What does Sara wish the medical staff would have done differently? 00:45:36 Sara's experience in college learning about the LGBTQ+ community 00:48:49 How Sara's social work classes applied to her own life TW: Marital r*pe 00:50:56 Rules for men around s*x 00:52:52 Divorce in the Hasidic community and the conditions Sara had to agree to to be granted one 00:56:20 Sara finally feels like she's in her own body 00:59:42 Sara expands her horizons in the secular world before remarrying 01:05:28 What did the Rabbis say about the LGBTQ+ community and men vs women 01:07:36 Sara finally decides to live an authentic life 01:12:20 What it means to leave a Hasidic community and the difficulties Sara faced 01:13:07 What Sara's relationship with her family is like today 01:14:31 What Sara's chosen community looks like now 01:17:26 Future writing endeavors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anyone can get sucked into a cult or be manipulated by an enthusiastic leader with bad intentions. Harvard graduate Joelle Tamraz, was young, enthusiastic and a perfect target for this specific yoga guru. Seeking enlightenment, purpose and peace, she came across a man who swept her off her feet and used spiritual manipulation to eventually exploit her and her family out of thousands of dollars. In this follow up episode we will discuss how exactly he got people to believe he had special powers and the ways in which he sucked them into his financial exploitations. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch her previous episode here IG: @joelletamraz  X / LinkedIn / TikTok: @joelletamraz FB: www.facebook.com/joelletamraz1/ Book: The Secret Practice: Eighteen Years on the Dark Side of Yoga: A Memoir Website: https://joelletamraz.com/ YouTube: @elevatingvoices  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us live as Charlotte Medlock, former devout follower and right-hand employee to the infamous Guru Jagat, breaks down the various manipulation tactics implemented by the "Guru" in her rise and abrupt death.  From sleep deprivation, to spiraling out of her sense of identity, we discuss how Kundalini Yoga was turned into a modern New Age cult.   Click here to watch on YouTube Watch our original interview Charlotte:  How Narcissistic Yoga Guru Jagat Exploited Her Followers Find Charlotte on Social TikTok: @charlotte.medlock Instagram: @charlottesface  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new MAX documentary “Breath of Fire” exposes a dark side of Yogi Bhajan's Kundalini yoga. Today we are joined by Dr. Jules, who was featured in the doc, for a follow up to her initial C2C interview. What does it truly mean to wake up out of the “yoga matrix” after 8 years and find some sort of normalcy in life? Click here to watch on YouTube Full length interview with Jules IG: @jtotheules We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Searching for community and a higher purpose in life, Dr. Jules Hartley found herself in a Kundalini Yoga class which promised a life of prosperity. All she had to do was follow the prescribed lifestyle, wear a turban, practice yoga and meditation at 4am every day, follow a specific diet and cleanses and essentially worship the late Yogi Bhajan.  It would take 8 years before she realized it none of the claims were true, her life was falling apart, and she was essentially in a cult. Watch her in the new documentary “Breath of Fire” airing October 23rd on MAX. Click here to watch on YouTube IG: @jtotheules  We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:03:53 What led Dr. Jules to seek yoga and meditation 00:11:21 Dr. Jules' chiIdhood and religious background 00:16:23 Dr. Jules goes to her Kundalini yoga class  00:17:46 True Kundalini yoga vs Kundalini yoga in LA 00:21:08 How this style of Kundalini yoga came to be 00:30:10 How Yogi Bhajan's teachings were manipulative and controlling 00:33:12 Yogi Bhajan's teachings get passed down to the next generation of teachers and across the globe 00:38:47 How the culture of LA and Yogi Bhajan's version of  Kundalini yoga created the perfect storm 00:44:43 How the ab*se of Yogi Bhajan is enmeshed with his style of Kundalini yoga 00:50:18 The expectation of women being with other women in the teachings and White Tantric Yoga 00:55:03 Sikhism and Guru Jagat 00:55:58 Hari Jiwan and his wife begin teaching classes 01:01:02 Hari Jiwan's inner circle 01:04:09 Dr. Jules' mental wellbeing after 8 years in the cult and what made her finally leave 01:16:13 How Dr. Jules got to be where she is today 01:23:37 How her naturopathic education aided her deconstruction and understanding of what she went through Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.