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.
Down the cliffs overlooking the Southern Sea of Java, plunging into the depths of the rough ocean, you’ll find the kingdom of Kanjeng Ratu Kidul. Mortal princess turned mermaid queen, we take away lessons of mindfulness, the duality of life, and the fact that you definitely can’t smoke gillyweed from Harry Potter. Also featuring a lot of Moana references, Magic Girl transformations, and the goddess equivalent of Venmo.
Read MoreWe’re not just talking werewolves of London! We’ve got cannibals, whole cities of wolf-people, and some big ol’ cat folks as well. This week we cover werewolves as you know them, and werewolf & werewolf-adjacent stories from around the world.
Read MoreWe’re kicking folklore into the 21st century to bring you this #kindacultykindacool episode. We’ve brought in reporter Kelly Weill to discuss Reptilians, cults, GOOP, and more as we dive into some recent events involving cult communities. What makes a cult? Why is steak tartare a faux pas among Reptilian watchers? How is the internet changing new religious movements? We cover all this and more!
Read MoreWhat makes you you? Is it the way people see you? Or who you are and the actions you pursue? For the Laumes, it’s a little bit of both. We discuss these Lithuanian goddesses, imagining people complexly, a chapter full of nipples, the word ‘tweak’, rainbow ribbons and more this week on Spirits!
Read MoreYou may have heard some great breakup stories in the past, but we bet you haven’t heard one as good as Toyotama-hime’s. From a gem-spitting meet cute to battling a normal sized crocodile, our radiant gem princess went through a lot. Listen as we tell the story and reminisce on past breakups, trashy werewolf romance novels, secrets as anniversary presents, divine prenups, and more!
Read MoreThe path might have a lot of twists and turns (and good goofs), but at the end of the Årsgång (Swedish Year Walk), you’ll be able to see into the future. We’ll give you a sneak peek: It features special guest Soha (@sokareemie), animorphs, goat heads, and more video game references than you can shake a stick at. It’s a long walk, but a little booze and a few jokes makes it all the more fun. You can find Yearwalk the game on Steam!
Read MoreHappy Pride! Now, let’s talk about the heat death of the universe. ...okay, it’s not THAT dark, but we go a little nuts talking about the Australian Aboriginal story of the Rainbow Serpent. We discuss Hogwarts’ lack of sex ed, how stories change with the environment, and how not EVERYTHING has to be phallic, jeez. See that rainbow up there? That means water and rain (and goofs) aren’t too far behind.
Read MoreYou sent them, we read them! In this episode of Spirits, we read out your creepy, vaguely horrifying, usually fascinating hometown urban legends and folklore. From Ouija board mishaps to creepy goat-legged ladies and grandpas who love scaring their grandkids, we had a blast sharing your stories with the world!
Read MoreWe leave the world of men and enter Paradise as we sit down with Greg Rucka, head writer of Wonder Woman for DC. We discuss comic books as mythology, dig into the historical roots of Wonder Woman and the Amazons, and revel in the super queer nature of paradise. Join us to find out just how scared of powerful women the Greeks really were!
Read MoreDoomed love has never been so fun to talk about! Special guest Linda takes us through one of the most famous love stories in the Chinese cultural canon, with twists, turns, and detours to Dana Scully’s shoulder pads, Amanda’s graveyard traditions, and Julia’s favorite IRL treasure hunt. We promise to fill you with only a little bit of existential sadness at the end.
Read MoreSign up for the Multitude newsletter here to be the first to find out about Spirits live shows, merch, and updates.
