Podcast episodes on mythology, folklore, and urban legends, discussed by two tipsy history nerds. Every episode, co-hosts Julia and Amanda mix a drink and discuss a new story or character from a wide range of places, eras, and cultures. Learn brand-new stories and enjoy re-tellings of your favorite myths, served over ice every two weeks, on Spirits.
Scroll down to listen to our most recent episodes, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Acast, PocketCasts, or any other podcatcher of choice. The direct link to our RSS feed is here.
Transcripts are available for every episode. Just click the episode title to read the transcript!
Not sure where to start? You don’t need to listen in order! Click a tag that interests you or search our archive below.
Author Isabel Cañas is back to talk about her newest book, Vampires of El Norte! We chat about Mexican vampires and boogeymen, historical romance, and drawing inspiration from her family’s history.
Read MoreWe’re joined by author Isabel Cañas to talk about her debut novel, The Hacienda, and all things postcolonial gothic! And along the way we chat about Latinx Mirkwood elves, the haunted house book boom, and holding the door open for others.
Read MoreThe story of La Llorona is so much more than that trailer you keep seeing with Linda Cardellini. We invited podcast critic Elena Fernández-Collins to tell us a little bit about La Llorona, the historical figure that might have inspired the tale, and her own personal experiences with the spirit growing up in Puerto Rico. We also talk about the strange rules to get into heaven, government influence on the stories we tell, and why you should never yeet your children.
Read MoreToday may be Halloween, but it’s also another special day - the first day of Día de los Muertos! We’re joined by special guest, Trina Espinoza, who tells us about the history of the holiday, the different ways it’s celebrated across the Americas, and her own personal experiences with The Day of the Dead growing up!
Read MoreThis week, we break down the Mayan creation story, as told by the Popol Vuh and learn that actually, the fourth time's the charm. Amanda asks the important questions, like why did the gods create humans, and would you still love her if half her skin was gone? Julia has an existential crisis about babies and marriage, and tries to come up with some ideas for monkey sociology.
Read More#Creeptober might be over, but that doesn’t mean we’re done telling scary stories. Driving along the dark highways on the border of the United States and Mexico, keep your eye on the sky. You never know when La Lechuza will swoop down out of the darkness. We also chat about the evils of colonialism, the transfer of matter in magic, pitch a horrifying spin off to Spirits, and tell more owl stories from around the world.
Read MoreOur Lady of Guadalupe is “a thing that is both.” Mexican and Catholic, native and foreign, we dive deep into a story of devotion, roses, snake skirts, widowers, adult-born gods, human sacrifice, and the power of very pious grandmas. Stick around for some hot takes on mythology-inspired fashion, why you shouldn’t try to avoid your divine mom, and reasons to always believe the guy in your small town that says he spoke to God.
Read MoreDating can be treacherous, even without skeletal girlfriends, spider wives, child-eating mistresses, and crazy vengeance monsters. But don’t worry! The ladies at Spirits are here to help you navigate the seas of supernatural dating. We teach you the warning signs that your Tinder date may be a living skeleton (key: avoid red lanterns) and why you should never cheat on your significant other (unless you’re cool with dismemberment). Valentine’s Day has never been so creepy, yet oh so cool!
Read MoreA whole year has come and gone, and we’ve told a lot of stories. So why not DOUBLE IT? To celebrate Spirits Podcast’s first birthday, we’re giving you 30 myths in as many minutes - we hit almost every continent (fuck you, Antarctica), tell stories of warrior goddesses, magma monsters, creepy bears, and why Wario definitely isn’t a Maori deity
Read MoreSign up for the Multitude newsletter here to be the first to find out about Spirits live shows, merch, and updates.
