We now begin looking at individual dark Hindu goddesses, starting with the Mahavidyas. The pivotal Mahavidya is the goddess Kali, whose fearsome appearance gives her associations with death, the demonic, and blood sacrifice. In this podcast we go deepe …
Chthonia
Exploring the world of the Dark Feminine in myth, religion, folklore, and magic.
Episode 21Introduction to the Tantric Goddesses 3: Sri Cakra
This is the last of an “introduction” to the goddesses, focusing on the Sri Cakra or Sri Yantra, an important symbol representing Shakti/Devi and the creation of the entire universe. It is the central Tantric symbol of the Sri Vidya branch of Hinduism, …
Episode 20Intro to Tantric Goddesses 2: Sri Chandi Path
This episode continues to provide context for our 6-month long discussion of dark Hindu goddesses, looking at the Sri Chandi Path, the Sri Devi Bhagavatam, and the Devi Upanishad as sources on the fierce divine feminine in Hinduism, and particularly in …
Episode 19Introduction to the Tantric Goddesses
It’s 2020, and we are starting the new year with a series on the Tantric goddesses–the Mahavidyas, the Matrikas, the Navadurgs, and similar dark Hindu mothers. This episode offers an introduction to Hindu prayer, worship, the meaning of Tantra, and my …
Episode 18Frau Perchta and Gryla
It’s the last podcast of the year, during the 12 days of Christmas—a good time to discuss 2 Christmas “witches” that seek out naughty children—and adults—to either cannibalize them or cut them open and stuff them full of straw. It’s Austria’s Frau Perc …
Episode 17Black Madonnas
This week I’m joined by Elen Jones, who is also known as the Spiral Priestess on Facebook, and the creator of the Voices of the Dark Mothers cards, to talk about Black Madonnas. These Catholic and Orthodox images feature a dark-skinned Virgin and Child …
Episode 16Dark Olympians: Artemis
As one of the 12 Olympian gods, we don’t tend to think of Artemis as chthonic. However, her original pre-Greek role and some of her attributes relating to violent death in children and wild animals connect her to the realm of death and the liminal.
Episode 15Circe (Kirke)
The sorceress Circe, daughter of the sun god Helios, is known for her dangerous magic, turning men into animals. But there is more than meets the eye–Circe is the perfect Jungian Anima figure.
Episode 14Santa Muerte
This episode looks at the “Holy Death”, the Latin American saint condemned by the Catholic Church, but venerated by about 12 million people, making her second in popularity to St. Jude in Mexico. As a champion of marginalized people, there are signific …
Episode 13The Morrigan (Special Episode)
In honor of Samhain (Halloween), I am posting an extra episode this week. Aepril Schaile (Aepril’s Arcana, Aeprilschaile.com) and I talk about the Morrigan, Irish goddess of war, sexuality, and sovereignty. The Morrigan is said to guard the gate to the …
Episode 12The Cailleach and Samhain
Halloween is just around the corner, and this episode looks at the origins of this holiday, the “Celtic” Samhain as the new year, start of winter, and the removal of the barrier of time and space between this world and the “other world” or underworld.
Episode 11Baba Yaga
I talk with Dr. Joanna Madloch about the Slavic witch Baba Yaga. Joanna grew up in Poland with traditional Slavic folklore, and we discuss the common motifs and meanings of the old witch who lives in the forest, in a house that moves, and is only found …
Episode 10Hecate (Part 2)
This week’s episode continues our discussion from last week on the goddess of witchcraft, ghosts, crossroads, and magic. In this episode we look at the chthonic Hecate, as well as the “Hekate Soteria” of the Middle Platonists, looking at the circumstan …
Episode 9Hecate (Part 1)
Hecate is the quintessential chthonic deity, as queen of ghosts and witches. But Hecate’s origins and associations are complex; part 1 of a 2-part podcast deals with what we know about her origins as a beneficent goddess associated with protection and …
Episode 8The Hanging Virgins
Greek mythology has a curious number of stories about young girls who kill themselves or are taken away due to sexual transgressions before marriage. We look at these stories, and their possible importance.
Episode 7Persephone
Persephone is Queen of the Greek Underworld, and the story of her abduction by Hades and the search for her by her mother Demeter is an important story in Greek mythology–and a myth often pointed to for its portrayal of rape in myth. But there’s more …
Episode 5The Erinyes (Furies)
The Erinyes are often viewed as ladies of punishment, or manifestations of guilt, with their snaky hair and monstrous appearance. But the Erinyes were not originally monsters, and have a beneficent side as well.
Episode 4Nightmares and Night Hag Syndrome
This episode explores the origins of the term “nightmare” and its connection to the feminine “demonic”, and the phenomenon of sleep paralysis (also called Night Hag Syndrome) from a mythological and psychoanalytical point of view.
Episode 2Innana, Ishtar and Ereshkigal
We look at Babylonian, Akkadian and Sumerian goddesses of love, war, and the underworld, with a particular look at the ancient story of the Descent of Inanna.
Episode 1The Mother Goddess
We think of mother goddesses as being gentle and loving, but ancient mother goddess worship had a dark side. This first episode looks at ancient mother goddesses of the Near East.