Spirits: Mythology, Legends, & Folklore

It’s what you’ve been waiting for. We’re finally going to solve ghosts. Answers like coffee ghosts, teenage shenanigans, and devious child lies.Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of misogyny, missing persons, abduction, and death. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends watching your favorite horror movie!- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out the Queer Movie Podcast - a queer movie watch party hosted by Rowan Ellis and Jazza John. Join them as they research and rate their way through the queer film canon, one genre at a time. Search for Queer Movie Podcast in your podcast app to subscribe today!Sponsors- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits- Apostrophe is an online platform that connects you with an expert dermatology teamto get customized acne treatment for your unique skin. Get your first visit for only five dollars at apostrophe.com/SPIRITS when you use our code: SPIRITS.- Brooklinen delivers luxury bed sheets, pillows, comforters, & blankets straight to your door. Go to Brooklinen.com right now and use promo code “spirits” to get $20 off when you spend $100 or more, PLUS free shipping.Find Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Parental confirmations of ghosts, theories about a haunted sewing machine, and Schrodinger’s wedding guest? This episode has a lot, because it’s an urban legends episode, baby!Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of bodily functions, home invasions, divorce, and murder. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out Join the Party, a collaborative storytelling and roleplaying podcast co-hosted in part by Julia and Amanda. Search for Join the Party in your podcast app, or go to jointhepartypod.com.Sponsors- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits- Doordash is a fast, convenient food delivery app. Use promo code SPIRITS to get 25% off your first order of $15 or more. - Studs is reimagining the piercing experience for each and every ear. Go to STUDS.com/spirits for 20% off your first purchase.- ThirdLove is on a mission to find a perfect bra for everyone. Get 20% off your first order at thirdlove.com/spirits.Find Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did you have an imaginary friend growing up? Was he a creepy shadow hanging out in the corner? Even if you didn’t, we’ve got plenty of scary stories submitted by our listeners for this urban legends episode!Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of murder, death, medical horror, military, dismemberment, dead animals, colonialism, bugs, and mutiliation. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Have you heard about the MultiCrew?! This is our membership program that lets you help us invest in Multitude as we try weird new stuff. Plus, you get a members-only weekly podcast: Head Heart Gut, our weekly friendly debate show. Join for as little as $5 a month at multicrew.club and get access to Head Heart Gut!Sponsors-  Blueland creates everyday eco-friendly cleaning productions that save you money and space, without any plastic waste. Get 20% off your first order when you go to blueland.com/spirits. - Apostrophe is an online platform that connects you with an expert dermatology teamto get customized acne treatment for your unique skin. Get your first visit for only five dollars at apostrophe.com/SPIRITS when you use our code: SPIRITS.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits- Calm is the #1 app to help you reduce your anxiety and stress and help you sleep better. Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/spirits.Find Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s something that’s just spooky about a hotel, haunted or not. But these hotels? They’re definitely haunted. But don’t worry, y’all, we’re not entering our haunting phase just yet. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of illness, death, child death, colonialism, misogyny, violence against women, murder, fire, lewd jokes, and dead bodies. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Malignant on HBO Max.- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Games and Feelings is an advice podcast about games. Join Question Keeper Eric Silver and a revolving cast of guests as they answer your questions at the intersection of fun and humanity. Search for Games and Feelings in your podcast app today! Sponsors-  Brooklinen delivers luxury bed sheets, pillows, comforters, & blankets straight to your door. Go to Brooklinen.com right now and use promo code “spirits” to get $20 off when you spend $100 or more, PLUS free shipping.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits- Calm is the #1 app to help you reduce your anxiety and stress and help you sleep better. Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/spirits.Find Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’ve got a lot of dragons in pop culture; funny dragons, scary dragons, wise dragons, vicious dragons. But who is the BEST dragon? Amanda and Julia are doing another bracket to figure it out!Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of death and immolation. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey.- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out Exolore: Helping you imagine other worlds, but with facts and science! Every other week, astrophysicist/folklorist Moiya McTier explores fictional worlds by building them with a panel of expert guests, interviewing professional worldbuilders, or reviewing the merits of worlds that have already been built.Sponsors- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits- Doordash is a fast, convenient food delivery app. Use promo code SPIRITS to get 25% off your first order of $15 or more. - Studs is reimagining the piercing experience for each and every ear. Go to STUDS.com/spirits for 20% off your first purchase.- ThirdLove is on a mission to find a perfect bra for everyone. Get 20% off your first order at thirdlove.com/spirits.Find Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re joined by Mara Wilson, who regales us with her experiences growing up in a haunted house, living the “gothic valley” life, and what would be scarier to meet: a ghost or an alien?Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of misogyny, aircraft accident, earthquakes, parent death, illness, body horror, mental illness, murder, blood, animal death, and the Civil War. GuestMara Wilson, known for her childhood roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda, is a writer and actor living in Los Angeles. Recently, she has appeared on Welcome to Night Vale, Broad City and Bojack Horseman. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Elle, McSweeney’s, Reductress, and many other outlets. She also publishes a newsletter of her writing with Substack, 'Shan't We Tell the Vicar?' Mara's first book, Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame is available from Penguin Random House. Recently, Mara voiced Tania de Batz in the audiobook One For All, a gender-swapped version of the Three Musketeers by Lillie Lainoff.Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends Games and Feelings.- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out the Queer Movie Podcast - a queer movie watch party hosted by Rowan Ellis and Jazza John. Join them as they research and rate their way through the queer film canon, one genre at a time. Search for Queer Movie Podcast in your podcast app to subscribe today!Sponsors- Wildgrain is the first bake-from-frozen box for artisanal bread. For a limited time, you can get $30 off the first box - PLUS free Croissants in every box - when you go to Wildgrain.com/Spirits to start your subscription.- Apostrophe is an online platform that connects you with an expert dermatology teamto get customized acne treatment for your unique skin. Get your first visit for only $5 at apostrophe.com/SPIRITS when you use our code: SPIRITS.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits- Blueland creates everyday eco-friendly cleaning productions that save you money and space, without any plastic waste. Get 20% off your first order when you go to blueland.com/spirits. Find Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Liminality. Transition. Limbo. Thin places. The betwixt and between! This episode is all about one of our favorite things in mythology and pop culture: liminal spaces! Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of child death, death, murder, and violence. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/booksSponsors- Calm is the #1 app to help you reduce your anxiety and stress and help you sleep better. Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/spirits.- Brooklinen delivers luxury bed sheets, pillows, comforters, & blankets straight to your door. Go to Brooklinen.com right now and use promo code “spirits” to get $20 off when you spend $100 or more, PLUS free shipping.- Apostrophe is an online platform that connects you with an expert dermatology teamto get customized acne treatment for your unique skin. Get your first visit for only five dollars at apostrophe.com/SPIRITS when you use our code: SPIRITS.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Episode 300, which means we're giving Spirits some special updates and upgrades. You will notice freshened-up art and music on today's episode, but most importantly for you, we're giving you MORE and COOLER Patreon benefits.   New Benefits   That's right! We've added a bunch of fun new benefits and rejiggered what falls under which tier so that all of you get access to more stuff than you had before. Our new MONTHLY tiers and benefits are: $4 Patrons - Cheers! You get Director's Commentary notes for every episode plus a bonus urban legends episode each month. $8 Regulars - One regular, coming up! Get ad-free episodes and downloadable recipe cards with alcoholic AND non-alcoholic drinks for every episode!  $16 Insiders - Can’t get enough advice? Watch (or listen) to our monthly Advice video podcast, where Julia and Amanda answer your questions! Get our takes on life, work, podcasting, and everything in between. Plus, 10% off Spirits merch. $28 Hosts - What does our future hold? Get a tarot reading + vibe check audio dispatch once every three months, where Julia does a reading for us to guide the season ahead.  $40 Producers - Get thanked by name as a Supporting Producer on every episode, featuring a different Myth Moniker each month (ex: Yev the Yeti).  $100 Legends - Receive a personalized tarot reading from Julia! Once every three months, in addition to the vibe check audio dispatch for Hosts, you’ll get a personalized audio note with photos of your individual drawing. Tarot, just for you!  We're really stoked that these new tiers let us do more of what we love: connecting with you, making witchy predictions, answering your questions, and designing fun merch. Plus, how cool is the rotating Myth Moniker for Producer and Legend patrons?? We can't wait to see what you come up with.   Merch Sale!   Just for the month of September, all patrons—new and existing—will get 20% off all of our vintage logo merch. That includes a tee shirt, a beanie, and a sweet logo pin. This stuff will never get re-made, so if you want to be a Spirits hipster with only the coolest vintage logo gear, act now!  Go to spiritspodcast.com/merch and use code VINTAGE for 20% off vintage logo items.   Monthly Charges   On Oct 1, your account will automatically switch from getting charged for 4 episodes per month to just 1 monthly charge. If you're at the $1/ep tier, your new tier will be $4/month; if you're at the $2/ep tier, it'll be $8/month; etc.    When we started the Patreon in 2016 this wasn't a thing, and most of Patreon's new tools and features require you to have a monthly-charge account. So we're switching!    You don't need to do anything! Your account will automatically be switched over on Oct 1, and the amount you're charged will stay the same. If you've put charge caps in place on your account (for example, you were only getting charged for one or two episodes per month), those will be honored too. No one will be paying more  than they have been!   Once our Patreon switches over to monthly billing on October 1, we'll also have the ability to offer you Annual Plans! These mean you pay up front for a whole year of Patreon support, at a 10% discount. Pretty cool if you ask us! We'll send you another message when these are available in case you want to go annual or upgrade your tier.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s our 300th episode! And to celebrate, you’re getting an extra long urban legends episode! Ghost horses, ghost lights, office doppelgangers, ghost grandmas, and haunted houses? We’re hitting ALL the creepy and cool things this episode. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of animal death, drug use, death, illness, colonialism, displaced communities, suicide, misogyny, familial abuse, dementia, gentrification, insects/spiders, and decapitation. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends The Accidental Pinup by Danielle Jackson!- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out Join the Party, a collaborative storytelling and roleplaying podcast co-hosted in part by Julia and Amanda. Search for Join the Party in your podcast app, or go to jointhepartypod.com.Sponsors- Doordash is a fast, convenient food delivery app. Sign up for DashPass and get 50% off your first order up to $15 value. Use promo code SPIRITS at checkout when you spend $12 or more.- Studs is reimagining the piercing experience for each and every ear. Go to STUDS.com/spirits for 20% off your first purchase.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The woods might be dark and full of wolves (which yes, they’re a metaphor), but together we can follow the path of the history of Little Red Riding Hood; from the oral traditions of the French peasantry, to the Brothers Grimm, and on to modern retellings. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of violence, death, lewd sexual and scatalogical humor, animal attacks, cannibalism, sexual assault, slut shaming, beheading, child abuse, birth, animal death, drowning, ageism, sexualizing minors, misogyny, and bestiality. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers.- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Have you heard about the MultiCrew?! This is our membership program that lets you help us invest in Multitude as we try weird new stuff. Plus, you get a members-only weekly podcast: Head Heart Gut, our weekly friendly debate show. Join for as little as $5 a month at multicrew.club and get access to Head Heart Gut!Sponsors- Inked Gaming is your one-stop-shop for premium gaming goods. Visit inkedgaming.com/spirits and use the code: spirits when you’re ready to checkout!- Blueland creates everyday eco-friendly cleaning productions that save you money and space, without any plastic waste. Get 20% off your first order when you go to blueland.com/spirits. - Wildgrain is the first bake-from-frozen box for artisanal bread. For a limited time, you can get $30 off the first box - PLUS free Croissants in every box - when you go to Wildgrain.com/Spirits to start your subscription.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.