Common Mystics - Jennifer James and Jill Stanley

Latest Episodes:

144: Unfinished Business at the Grand Hotel in Stoughton, WI Feb 05, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jen and Jill investigate a ghost story from the town of Stoughton, WI… but what they uncover is far more unsettling than the legend itself. In November of 1925, Saxe Hoverson, a respected local official, died after falling from the third floor of the Grand Hotel. At the time, the incident was quickly labeled a suicide. Case closed. Or so it seemed. But when you place that official explanation alongside the reality of the era—Prohibition, bootlegging, and the quiet reach of organized crime into small Midwestern towns—the story begins to feel less simple. Was Saxe Hoverson’s death a personal tragedy—or did it intersect with forces far larger than one man? And if the truth was never fully spoken, could that explain why the story still carries energy nearly a century later?

Thanks for listening. Support us on Patreon and get exclusive bonus content and monthly video calls with Jen & Jill. https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics

*This episode includes discussion of suicide and murder. Listener discretion is advised.

143: More Voices from the Road- The Witch Trial of Susannah Martin Jan 22, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jen and Jill stumble into a surprising connection to the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692. What begins as an investigation in Imlay City, Michigan quickly turns into something much bigger when the sisters uncover a local story tied to an ancestor from Salem, Massachusetts. From there, one curious rabbit hole leads to another, across the Atlantic and deep into history, as they unpack how and why witch trials ever became a thing in the first place. The journey ultimately lands on the original trial transcript of Susannah Martin. But it’s one accuser in particular, Jarvis Ring, who really grabs their attention. What unfolds next is unexpected, fascinating, and nothing short of astounding.

Thanks for listening! Support us on Patreon and get exclusive bonus content and monthly video calls with Jen & Jill. https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics

142: Young and Evil in Imlay City, MI Jan 08, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jen and Jill journey to Imlay City, a quiet Midwestern town just 50 miles north of Detroit, to explore a tragic story from 1947: the senseless murders of the Smith children.*

This is not a story told for shock or spectacle. It’s a careful remembering. We’ll place the events within their historical moment, honor the lives that were lost, and examine how a community, and a justice system, responded when the unthinkable happened.

Our intention is to acknowledge the weight of what was taken, and create space for reflection, compassion, and truth. If you’re listening with us tonight, we invite you to do so gently—because even the hardest stories deserve to be told with care, and remembered with purpose.

Thanks for listening. Support us on Patreon and get exclusive bonus content and monthly video calls with Jen & Jill. https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics

*This episode includes discussion of infanticide. Listener discretion is advised.

141: The Hidden Pagan Origins of the Virgin Mary Dec 25, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jen and Jill dive into the surprising blend of Christian doctrine and ancient pagan tradition behind one of the Catholic Church’s most beloved figures. Learn how older goddess archetypes—fertility mothers, virgin creators, and compassionate intercessors—shaped the evolving image of the Virgin Mary as Christianity spread through pagan Europe. The sisters trace how theology, culture, and human longing for the divine feminine transformed a historical woman into a powerful sacred symbol. Was Mary a break from the past—or a continuation of something far older, wearing a new name?