Spirits: Mythology, Legends, & Folklore
Episodes
Bedknobs and Broomsticks | Myth Movie Night
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Eric’s birthday on the show, so we sit down to watch one of his childhood favorite films: Bedknobs and Broomsticks. And boy, it sure is a fil...
Oisín, Nidra, and a Dryad | Advice from Folklore w/ Dr. Moiya McTier
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Big questions, little questions, these figures of folklore, mythology and world religion are here to answer them. We tackle camp quandaries, quitting ...
Baseball and Romance as American Legend w/ KD Casey
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Calling all sports fans! We’re joined by author KD Casey to talk about America’s pastime, baseball, through the lens of modern legend, roman...
Dionysus | It's All Greek to Me
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a party, and Dionysus has invited you! As we wrap up “It’s All Greek to Me” with the party god, we look at his unique place on Olympus, t...
See Spirits Live July 15th in NYC or via Livestream
08 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Come see the entire Spirits Podcast team LIVE, united in person for the first time since 2020, next FRIDAY at Caveat in NYC!Join us in-person (proof...
Wine, Not Blood | Your Urban Legends 65
06 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda reveals she is the shower ghost, Julia demands answers and closure, and Eric comes out as anti-olive. It’s an urban legends episode and the l...
Māori Science Fiction and Being Joyously Weird w/ Sascha Stronach
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re joined by author Sascha Stronach to talk about his debut novel, The Dawnhounds. We chat about spreading Māori science fiction, mush...
Hestia | It's All Greek to ME
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hestia is the living embodiment of the heart of the home. This oft-forgotten Olympian might not have gotten into the same shenanigans and antics that ...
Ghosts Don’t Weigh Anything! | Your Urban Legends 64
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Julia’s house might be haunted, but we’re not gonna dwell on that. Instead, we’re revisiting how haunted pasta is, yelling at you about using ho...
Long Island Urban Legends
08 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s summertime and we’re revisiting our own hometown urban legends. Don’t go swimming in Lake Ronkonkoma, don’t visit the Hell House, and don...
Hingepoints and Speculative Fiction w/ B.L. Blanchard
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined by author B.L. Blanchard to imagine a North America without colonization. We talk about map-making as world-building, returning home, a...
Hera | It's All Greek to Me
25 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As queen of the Olympians, Hera gets a bit of a bad reputation. But we’re here to tell you that not all of her stories focus on revenge and toxic re...
Handwritten Hometowns! | Your Urban Legends 63
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You know we live in a digital age when we’re VERY excited to be reading a handwritten urban legend. We discuss whether hot breath or cold breath on ...
Ever After & Cinderella | Myth Movie Night w/ Jane Solomon
11 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Was Drew Barrymore’s “Ever After” the best version of the Cinderella story? We’re joined by lexicographer Jane Solomon to determine if this 90...
Mexican Gothic w/ Isabel Cañas
04 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’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 abou...
Hephaestus | It's All Greek to Me
27 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Next time you’re buying pottery or some cool jewelry, remember that Hephaestus is to thank for that and SO much more. Learn how the Greeks did Hepha...
Haunted Houses Shouldn’t Be In Haunted Houses | Your Urban Legends 62
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a lot of teens getting into shenanigans in this episode. Driving on haunted roads that might not exist, accidentally turning themselves into...
Ma'at, the Aspidochelone, and Heimdall | Advice from Folklore w/ Dr. Moiya McTier
13 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The gods are on the line, and we’re asking them for advice. We discuss “no, for now”, chaos gods give advice on finding order in life, and a liv...
Mami Wata and The Little Mermaid w/ Natasha Bowen
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined by author Natasha Bowen, who spins us the tale of her love of mermaids, the darker fairy tales of her youth, and connecting to the West...
Ares | It's All Greek to Me
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Whatever you thought about Ares before now, we think we can change your mind a little bit. We’re talking about propaganda, roosters, and learning le...
Pavement’s Gone? Say So Long! | Your Urban Legends 61
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From haunted colleges to towns full of creepy kids, we’re doling out advice on how best to survive your own hometown urban legends! Content War...
Liberian Storytelling and Oral Tradition w/ Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev
16 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined by author Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev, an incredible storyteller and educator. We talk about how myths are purposeful, cautionary storytelli...
Vampire March Madness! w/ Queer Movie Podcast
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever debated over drinks who the best vampire is, this is the episode for you! We’re joined by the hosts of the Queer Movie Podcast, Row...
Aphrodite | It's All Greek to Me
02 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re finally chatting about the goddess of Sex, Love, and Not Exactly Rock and Roll: Aphrodite! We talk about why our parents warned us about sea f...
Don’t Forget to Close the Portal | Your Urban Legends 60
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re opening the portal, but don’t worry, we’ll remember to close it. Ghosts help Eric with some home improvement, Amanda goes to WikiHow for s...
Pop Culture, Video Games, and Cosplay as Mythology w/ Dr. Vivian Asimos)
16 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined this week by Dr. Vivian Asimos, who explains that just about anything can be mythology. Yes, including Star Wars, The Legend of Zelda, ...
Donkeyskin, Anaisa Pye, and Prometheus | Advice from Folklore w/ Dr. Moiya McTier
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The gods have a lot in store for us this week. Amanda talks about being dragged out of the “dank woods”, Moiya suggests finding a third beaker, an...
Hermes | It's All Greek to Me
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
King of Interns, patron of finance bros, we’re talking this week about our messenger god, Hermes! Amanda channels her past jobs, and Julia thinks ab...
Creepiest Floating Body Part? | Your Urban Legends 59
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you were wandering through the forest, what would be the creepiest floating body part to spot? We discuss. Amanda loves a dog with an opinion. Eric...
Haunted Pokedex w/ Eric Silver
19 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever thought about how messed up the Pokemon world is? We have! We’re joined by Eric Silver to do a deep dive into the most terrifying entr...
Faithful Companions
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Didn’t you want a magical animal companion as a kid? We know we did! Amanda revisits her childhood favorite example, the daemons from the His Dark M...
Demeter | It's All Greek to Me
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The goddess of compost has finally made an appearance on our podcast: Demeter. Strap in, and find out what we mean when we whisper: “An ear of grain...
The Pink Room | Your Urban Legends 58
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It seems only right to end the year with urban legends. Julia has an embarrassing revelation, Eric decides colors are the most haunted, and we discove...
The Holiday RomCom
22 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re bombarded every year by various holiday romcoms, so Amanda has offered to take us by the hand and lead us through the tropes that make these m...
Santa Claus w/ Emily VanDerWerff
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of Santa Claus, what do you picture? The big guy in red is this malleable, larger than life figure that has origins that might surprise...
Poseidon | It's All Greek to Me
08 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is as wild and stormy as the god we talk about; there’s talking horses, there’s hot wives who love sea monsters, and he’s got a lot...
The Mold Finds a Way | Your Urban Legends 57
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re delivering your urban legends; hot, fresh, and straight from a creepy basement. Or perhaps you’d like a creepy attic door that refuses to cl...
The Invisible One, Tir, and Jörmungandr | Advice from Folklore w/ Dr. Moiya McTier
24 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The gods are back to give advice, with advice dealing with angsty teenagers from a teacher of gods, to learning to become fluent in fae speak to get o...
Paul Bunyan and Indigenous Traditions w/ Leah Lemm
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes you just gotta go off about Paul Bunyan and timber. We’re joined by Leah Lemm, who shares with us growing up with Paul Bunyan stories, how...
Athena | It's All Greek to Me
10 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Girl Boss Time-- We mean, Athena Time. We talk about some cool birds that we like, how Meryl Streep is channeling Athena in most of the movies ...
The Spookiest Story We’ve Ever Told | Your Urban Legends 56
03 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is it. This is the one. Potentially the spookiest story we’ve ever told on this show. In fact it is the ONLY story of this episode. That’s ho...
The Conjuring and Haunted Houses | Myth Movie Night
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re talking demons, haunted houses, and horror tropes as we watch 2013’s The Conjuring. And asking the important question: How long would YOU li...
Mermaids, Magic, and Murder w/ Maggie Tokuda-Hall
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, author Maggie Tokuda-Hall joins us to talk about all things murder and magic. From the exploration of gender, to werewolves as a metaphor f...
Apollo | It's All Greek to Me
13 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re back visiting the Olympian gods and this time it’s finance bro Apollo. We talk about all the women (and men!) Apollo has wronged, and of cou...
Messy Chicken Bone Eater | Your Urban Legends 55
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re going on a haunted date through the forest. Because you don’t really know your partner until you see how polite they are to a terrifying Ger...
Orpheus, Nane, and Inanna | Advice from Folklore w/ Dr. Moiya McTier
29 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hold on a second, we’re channeling the gods to answer your questions about creativity, religion, bachelorette parties, body image and more. Don’t ...
The Magic of Home w/ Sarah Hollowell
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There’s something magical about the magic of home, and Sarah Hollowell wrote a whole book about it. We talk about spending time in the elementary sc...
Artemis | It's All Greek to Me
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Introducing our newest segment: It’s All Greek to Me - Finally Fulfilling the Promise of Spirits Podcast, by Spirits Podcast. And of course we’re ...
Do You Want to Be a Pickle Man?! | Your Urban Legends 54
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Children in dangerous situations, children being scared by pickles, the kids are creepy but alright! The new urban legends episode features many holes...
The Green Knight | Myth Movie Night
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s movie night and we’ve watched the stunning film, The Green Knight. We talk classic fairy tale tropes, Arthurian canon, Latin funeral hymns, l...
Feminism, Judaism, and Fairy Tales w/ Veronica Schanoes
25 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined by author and professor Veronica Schanoes, who leads us through a forest of the feminism of Alice in Wonderland, taking moralizin...
Dreams
18 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lay your head down, close your eyes, and drift off to dreamland as we talk about the mythological stories and figures that inhabit your dreams! Also, ...
The Ghost is Capitalism | Your Urban Legends 53
11 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There’s something very special about this episode. We answer questions like “why can’t capitalism be a ghost?”, “are ghosts part of your col...
Westworld, Robots, and AI | Myth Movie Night
04 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Robots, androids, AI - the staples of our science fiction media actually have very historical and mythological inspiration! Join us as we discuss the ...
Ghosts and Indigenous Spirits w/ Owl Goingback
28 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined by author and storyteller, Owl Goingback. He tells us all about things like befriending the Creature from the Black Lagoon, hoping to s...
Crane Wife
21 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the past, we’ve talked about bird husbands and seal wives, but today we’re diving deep into Animal Spouses with the Japanese folk tale, the Cra...
A Haunted Osmosis Jones Situation | Your Urban Legends 52
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is full of creepy shenanigans, don’t worry. We talk viral Tiktok ghosts, respecting funeral directors and undertakers, and what was def...
Domovoi, Gabija, and Terminus | Advice from Folklore w/ Dr. Moiya McTier
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The gods have given more advice, and we’re sharing it with you. We trick imposter syndrome with a trickster, making new houses and apartments into a...
Exploring Other Worlds w/ Becky Chambers
30 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We chat with award-winning science fiction author Becky Chambers! We define space opera, talk about building big worlds without confusing your audienc...
Sinbad the Sailor (Part 2)
23 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ahoy! Is that the return of Sinbad the Sailor? It is! We’re judging the luckiest/unluckiest man in folklore this week, as well as talking about the ...
Ghostly Cheez-Its | Your Urban Legends 51
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Would you eat the cursed Cheez-its? It’s important that we know if you would. Also, we talk about being trained by a ghost on how to be a good adult...
Beauty and the Beast | Myth Movie Night
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Here comes the podcast, with its myths like always. We’re covering the origins of the classic, Beauty and the Beast, and decide that if we try, we c...
Sirens and Black Voices w/ Bethany C. Morrow
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined this week to talk with author Bethany C. Morrow about her novels, using “speculative” fiction to tell the truth, how Black sisterho...
Sinbad the Sailor
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An episode with a framing device, within a framing device. We’re getting meta here with the One Thousand and One Nights story, Sinbad the Sailor. We...
Mold? Or GHOSTS? | Your Urban Legends 50
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Haunted woods, haunted schools, and creepy kids. We’re hitting all of the classics in this Urban Legends episode, including the return of a familiar...
Toth, Leto, and Hephaestus | Advice from Folklore w/ Dr. Moiya McTier
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Moiya is back to help Julia channel the gods and give advice to our Conspiriters about science, relationships, and what wild animals to feed. Also...
Jamaican Witches w/ Ciannon Smart
05 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One trip and one story can change your life, as author Ciannon Smart showed us in this episode. Listen to how her trip to Rose Hall in Jamaica stuck w...
The Secret Tunnels of Europe (Erdstalls)
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
They’re mysterious, they’re everywhere, and they’re not quite tall enough to stand up in. This week we explore erdstalls, the completely mystify...
Inserting Ourselves into the Story w/ Rena Rossner
21 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We chat with author Rena Rossner about her new book, inserting ourselves into historical fiction, the fairy tales of her youth, and looking beyond the...
PS3: Powered By Ghosts? | Your Urban Legends 49
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What kind of video games do ghost gamers prefer? What does the hierarchy of sleep paralysis demons look like? Is a ghost with snow pants really THAT s...
Soju w/ Dr. Hyunhee Park
07 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We talk a lot about the ghost type of spirits on the show, but what about the liquor kind of spirits? We’re joined by Dr. Hyunhee Park to talk about...
Tatterhood
31 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Obviously looks aren’t everything, and with Tatterhood that is absolutely true. This fairy tale is full of twists, turns, and incredible aesthetics....
The Creepy Child Scale | Your Urban Legends 48
24 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re mixing up statistics and graphs with our creepy children. Typical episode of the show. Also featuring how funeral homes shouldn’t be real ho...
The Tale of Princess Kaguya | Myth Movie Night
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you put on a Studio Ghibli film, you don’t expect to be talking about aliens and proto-science fiction in 9th century Japan. But that didn’t ...
Women and Other Monsters w/ Jess Zimmerman
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined by author Jess Zimmerman, making her Spirits return, to talk about women and monsters from Greek mythology. We chat Aerosmith music vid...
The Moon
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Look up at the night time sky. See the moon? Human beings have been doing the exact same thing for centuries, and there’s plenty of moon deities to ...
Expanding the Spirits Canon | Your Urban Legends 47
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The lore of Spirits is expanding with more stories about the man with the trenchcoat and the dog, the origins of the Silent Hill movies, and more terr...
The Erotes, Aranyani, and Milda | Advice from Folklore w/ Moiya McTier
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Julia and Moiya are back channeling the gods to give you advice on burning questions! Amanda teams up with a fortune god to give financial advice, we ...
Creepypasta w/ Jenna Stoeber
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined by horror and video game connoisseur, Jenna Stoeber, to discuss the Internet’s own version of folklore - Creepypastas. From Candle Co...
Theatre Superstitions
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We have talked about theatre a LOT over the past five years, so now seems like the perfect time to talk about theatre superstitions! From old classics...
All Stars! | Your Urban Legends 46
27 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes a story just sticks with you. And in this last installment of Oops! All Urban Legends month, our favorite hometown tales are back and better...
XL! | Your Urban Legends 45
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A creepy store, ghost hunting parents, and a small town monster family! These extra long stories deserved their own episodes because they are so JAM P...
Pets & Animals! | Your Urban Legends 44
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Humans aren’t the only supernatural beings and spirits out there - it’s time to feature the pets and animals in our creepy lives! Featuring a cat’...
Second Chances! | Your Urban Legends 43
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A whole month of urban legends. You read that right. And we’re kicking it off with Second Chances - a series of updates from stories we love, and ne...
Over the Moon | Myth Movie Night
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We’re closing out this year with the tale of Chang’e - or rather, the many tales of the Chinese moon goddess. We cry through a musical, blend tale...
A Christmas Carol w/ Emily VanDerWerff
23 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A year ago, we said we’d have Emily VanDerWerff on to talk about A Christmas Carol, and damn it, we delivered! We talk cozy ghost stories, bringing ...
The Worst Question We’ve Ever Asked | Your Urban Legends 42
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes we ask a question on this show that simply does not have an answer. And that’s probably for the best. We talk hair-styling witches, flippi...
Past Lives
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We haven’t gotten existential about death in a while, so let’s talk about past lives! We touch upon the religious and philosophical origins of reb...
Beowulf w/ Maria Dahvana Headley
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bro! Gather round the mead hall, because we’re gonna tell the story of Beowulf, talk the nuance of translation, and gush over warrior queens with au...
Oracle of Delphi, Enkidu, and Brigid | Advice from Folklore w/ Moiya McTier
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time to turn to the gods for some divine advice. We welcome Moiya McTier back to the show to channel the gods like the oracles of old and answe...
Trapper Keeper Confusion | Your Urban Legends 41
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We’re all over the place in this one, both in terms of content and geography. From Scandinavia to Alaska, we’re questioning your choices left and ...
The ‘Hades’ Guide to the Greek Underworld
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Right this way! We’ll be your tour guides through the Greek Underworld this episode as we talk about the new game, Hades, as well as the chthonic go...
Frankenstein w/ Rose Eveleth
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
October might be over, but when you’re Mary Shelley, every day is a great day to talk about death. That’s why we were so excited to have guest Ros...
Halloweentown | Myth Movie Night
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Only on Spirits do we get really into the logistics and philosophy of a Disney Channel Original Movie. We’re talking Halloweentown, and stress that ...
Maybe it was Crows? | Your Urban Legends 40
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Halloween month, which means we are breaking out some of the best urban legends in our inbox. Cursed buildings, cursed objects, cursed woods. Y...
50 Scariest Urban Legends from Each State
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Your state might be spookier than you thought. For Halloween, we’re rounding up the scariest urban legends from all 50 states! Listen to find out wh...
200!!! Urban Legends + Q&A Spectacular!
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
200 episodes. Wow. We answer your questions, follow up on past episodes, and rate the sexiness of several mythological and folklore beings. Thank you....
Butt-Heavy Haunting | Your Urban Legends 39
23 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fair warning: This is a butt-heavy episode. Also featuring frequent haunted sleepovers, a wild scooter ride, and why Bluetooth technology is suddenly ...
The Western Zodiac
16 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After making too many jokes about Virgo season, Julia is making it up to Amanda by giving her a tour of the Western Zodiac! We still know too much abo...
Music and Ghosts w/ Erica Waters
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do you hear some otherworldly banjo music coming from the pines? Don’t worry, we’ve brought on author Erica Waters to guide us through her new boo...