Chthonia

Happy 2022! This first episode of the year focuses on the "loathly lady" of Arthurian legend, Dame Ragnelle. Ragnelle is married to Sir Gawain in exchange for the answer to the question, "what is it that women want the most?" The answer--perhaps a surprising one for medieval Europe--still rings true in modern times, and shows us another angle on the importance of the dark Feminine.

In this last episode of 2021 we look at the Boabhan Sith, who are Scottish female vampire fairies. We look at the core legend of a late night encounter with these vampiric women, and explore their possible origins in myth and folktales.

This week we look at Black Annis, a female hag figure from fairy lore that devours children and wears their skins. Supposedly living in the Dane Hills near Leicester, we look at the different stories of her origin, and alleged sightings near the church of St. Mary De Castro.

This week we continue a look at Northern English fairy lore with the water hag, known as Peg Powler, Jenny Greenteeth, and sometimes as Nelly Longarms. These are a type of being known as a Grindylow, and they are said to pull children and sometimes the elderly into the watery depths of bogs and rivers. We may think of them as a fearsome being invented to keep children from drowning, but is this really the case?

In this episode, we look at the Leanan Sidhe, a type of dark fairy figure that probably isn't part of ancient folklore, but rather the invention of W.B. Yeats. That said, the Leanan Sidhe is a fictional figure that is both alluring and terrifying at the same time.

For Samhain this year, we look at ghosts--specifically the spirits of the restless female dead in Ancient Greece. Aorai was the name given to girls who died before they became mothers, thus turning them into some other kind of creature, or making them an assistant to the Furies or similar monstrous feminine figures. Beliefs about the Aorai not only touch on the fear of the devouring feminine, but reveal ingrained attitudes about women who are "independent".

This week's podcast is about Shivaduti, or Shivadooti, which literally means "she who has Shiva as a messenger". This terrifying form of Durga threatens the demons Shumba and Nishumba, screaming like 100 jackals. We talk about her associations and symbolism, and her role in the Devi Mahatmayam.

It is the Hindu season of Navaratri, and I've decided to cover one of the nine Navdurgas associated with Navartri. Kalaratri is worshipped on night seven of Navaratri, and is considered to be one of the fiercest forms of the Devi, and is associated with courage.

This week we look at the Nu Gui, in our last episode on the dark feminine in Japanese and Chinese folklore. The Nu Gui is a vengeful female ghost, often appearing with long black hair and a white dress. A popular figure in movies and animation, we look at different appearances of the Nu Gui and their implications in culture and psychology.

This week we look at the Chinese goddess Xiwangmu, known as the Queen Mother of the West. Originally a shamanic goddess with the ferocious attributes of a tiger, she later gains a reputation as a compassionate mother, eclipsed later by Kuan Yin in importance.