Faith and Fear

Today I will be bringing you an adventure of sibling rivalry, revenge, hatred, fear, and hope. It is a one-off winter tale inspired by my yet-to-be-published novel, Genko Shin. One no one else has yet to read or hear, so consider it my special holiday gift to you. I hope you like it. Without further ado, in celebration of the season and winter Solstice, and of course, in honor of Anansi, the African god of storytelling, I've come...to Weave You a Story. *I've tagged this story explicit due to violence.* --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

The holidays are upon us, and more importantly, so are the winter months. A stressful time of year...and traditionally one of danger, hunger...even death. It's a time when the struggle for survival was its most severe. So the very nature of the holiday season is no stranger to horror or fear. If you missed my Christmas Monsters episode last year, please do check it out. You'll quickly become aware of the numerous creatures used to threaten people, especially children, into behaving. So yes, Christmas is very much...creepy. But don't take my word for it. Listen to someone far more knowledgeable than myself... I've brought you a VERY special guest, one whose work I'm sure many of you have no doubt seen. So snuggle in front of your fireplace, or, wrap yourself in a blanket for safety and warmth, then listen in while I bring you Creepy Christmas w/ Jeff...Belanger. *This episode is marked explicit due to brief mentions of graphic violence, and some minor adult language.* Guest Links: https://jeffbelanger.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ExploringLegends/ https://www.instagram.com/exploringlegends/ https://twitter.com/THEJeffBelanger --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

This week I'm happy to bring you another explorative episode, with another incredible guest. Author Kirsten Weiss joins me to talk about her experiences working abroad, namely the folklore and superstitions she's encountered while living among other cultures, in various parts of the world. Kirsten's Links https://www.kirstenweiss.com/ https://cf40ff92-f864-4d9a-a720-d3cd8a755e96.filesusr.com/ugd/193150_5f80435d63424830906aaf9573327dc1.pdf https://www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss https://twitter.com/KirstenWeiss https://www.instagram.com/kirstenweissauthor/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

I'm pretty excited about this week's episode, which was originally scheduled for Halloween weekend, but sometimes life has its own plans, and things come up. Still, I'm glad to finally bring you our discussion on true crime narratives, and why we are so infatuated with them, especially when it comes to serial killers. To do that, I've brought you a very special guest- Kate Wallinga of ‘Ignorance Was Bliss'; “A podcast about who we are.” Kate is an amazing host and storyteller, with an impressive professional history to match. References: https://daily.jstor.org/bloody-history-of-true-crime-genre/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/559256/why-we-love-true-crime Guest Links: https://iwbpodcast.com/ https://www.facebook.com/kate.wallinga https://www.tiktok.com/@iwbpodcast? https://www.instagram.com/iwbpodcast/ https://twitter.com/iwbpodcast --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

This week I get to bring you a very special guest, Laura Giles, the founder of Pan Society, a church of modern animism, to discuss among other things, what animism is. We also discuss religious trauma syndrome, ancestor veneration, connecting with nature, and finding one's own connection with spirituality. Pan Society links: https://pansociety.net https://facebook.com/PanSocietyUniverse1 https://www.youtube.com/c/PanSociety https://tiktok.com/@animistps https://patreon.com/pansociety --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Death is a part of life, giving it meaning, and the things we do while we're alive, weight. But for those who believe it is not the end, it is only one part of the journey. The journey, not the destination, is, and always will be the most important. That said, sometimes we need a bit of help, to overcome whatever obstacles come our way, whatever trials befall us, and to guide us wherever it is we're going. That includes traversing from one life, one world, to the next. For that, we need a psychopomp. References: https://www.psychopomps.org/what-is-a-psychopomp.html https://www.psychopomps.org/psychopomp-guide.html https://listverse.com/2013/09/21/10-more-psychopomps-of-ancient-and-modern-mythology/ https://folklorethursday.com/myths/psychopomp-tour-guides-to-the-afterlife/ https://www.learnreligions.com/archangel-michael-escorting-souls-to-heaven-123842 https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kshitigarbha https://atlanticreligion.com/2014/05/20/lankou-gaelic-parallels-with-the-breton-death-spirit/ http://ezilikonnen.com/dominican/papa-guede/ http://www.haitiobserver.com/blog/how-haitians-see-lwa-papa-ghede.html --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

So much about life is beyond our authority, and we often fear those things we are unable to control. We fear the unknown. We fear change. Sometimes we're afraid of fear itself. So today, since we're entering the month of Fear, what better time to discuss its nature, as well as its significance. What is Fear Psychology of Fear Emotional Triggers Phobias Fear: Entertainment Why do people enjoy being scared? References https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/fear https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/emotional-triggers https://www.verywellmind.com/list-of-phobias-2795453 https://www.health.com/mind-body/why-people-like-horror-movies https://www.psychreg.org/why-people-love-horror-films/ https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/why-do-some-people-love-horror-films/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Welcome to the second episode of ‘Weave Me a Story', bonus episodes of the Faith and Fear podcast where I read you original stories I myself have written. In this episode, I will be telling you a story of djinn and one particularly powerful ring. Sometimes being who we are and accepting ourselves as is, can lead to unexpected, and rather surprising outcomes. So, let me Weave You a Story. This Episode's Story: One Ring to Rule, To Summon and Subdue Inspirations: Djinn King Solomon's Ring Makeda, Queen of Sheba The Solomonic Dynasty --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Seasons change, they come and go... It represents the cycle of life for all things. Seasons Change The Science Mythology Persephone and Demeter (Greek) Why the Trees Lose Their Leaves (Cherokee Story) The Blue Corn Maide (Hopi Story) Amaterasu (Japanese Shinto) The Oak and Holly Kings (Pagan/Celtic) Baldur (Norse) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Welcome to the first episode of ‘Weave Me a Story', bonus episodes of the Faith and Fear podcast where I read you original stories I myself have written. Today is World Storytelling Day, a global celebration of the world's many oral traditions and an opportunity to pass on stories to others, especially through word of mouth. This year's theme is New Beginnings and I've written a few fairly brief, and somewhat eerie, tales of my own. So, let me Weave You a Story. World Storytelling Day What is it? Stories Codependent The Caul The Guardian Inspiration/Influences --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

In this episode, I focus on the topics of gender identity, the spectrum of sexuality, as well as the existence of those same themes throughout mythology and some of the world's many preChristian cultures. References, including https://www.genderbread.org/, at the bottom of show notes. Gender Gender Identity Gender Expression Gender Fluid Cisgender Intersex Non-binary Transgender Sexuality Asexual Bisexual Gay Lesbian Pansexual Other Terminology Ally Queer Mythology and Deities Ancient Greece The temples of Khajuraho and Mughal Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep Neferkare and Sasenet Agni/Svaha/Soma Mitra and Varuna Tu Er Shen Hermaphroditus (Greek) Agdistis Atum Hatshepsut Hapi Isis and Iphis Bahuchara Mata Shikhandi Vishnu/Mohini Ardhanarishvara Lakapati/Bathala Lan Caihe Ymir Loki Chin (Aztec) Nadle (Navajo) Two-Spirit (Native American) Mawu-Lisa (Dahomey People) Mwari (Shona People) Ghede Nibo Yan Daudu (Nigeria) Sarombavy (Madagascar) References: https://library.rcc.edu/c.php?g=1058258&p=7698101 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201707/gender-fluidity-in-the-gods http://www.transfaithonline.org/display/article/ten-gender-variant-religious-figures/?no_cache=1 https://www.mygwork.com/en/my-g-news/finding-queer-belonging-in-ancient-mythology https://www.pride.com/entertainment/2017/9/11/52-queer-gods-who-ruled-ancient-history https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms https://www.hrc.org/resources/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-terminology-and-definitions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_themes_in_mythology https://lgbt.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_LGBT_figures_in_mythology https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/06/30/third-gender-a-short-history/ https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/applied-and-social-sciences-magazines/gender-alternatives-binary https://www.genderbread.org/ https://www.ihs.gov/lgbt/health/twospirit/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghede_Nibo https://itgetsbetter.org/blog/lesson/glossary/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

In the next couple of episodes we're going to be talking all about that four-letter word; love. But not love exclusively. I want to discuss everything tangentially related; love languages, deities, gender, and yes, sexuality. 5 Love Languages Words of Affirmation Acts of Services Receiving Gifts Quality Time Physical Touch Love Deities Aphrodite Eros Hera Frigga Freya Inanna Ishtar Astarte Hathor Isis Nugua Yue Lao Tu Er Shen Benzai-Ten Parvati Kama Rati Cliodhna Branwen Oshun The Erzulie Xochiquetzal References: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/love https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/202009/what-are-the-5-love-languages-definition-and-examples#:~:text=Our%20%22love%20language%22%20describes%20how,you%20were%20thinking%20about%20them https://www.learnreligions.com/deities-of-love-and-marriage-2561983 https://www.learnreligions.com/top-love-goddesses-118521 https://www.learnreligions.com/deities-of-love-and-marriage-2561983 https://vocal.media/futurism/gods-and-goddesses-of-love-in-mythology https://listverse.com/2014/01/25/10-gods-and-goddesses-of-love-and-lust/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kama#Kama_as_deity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rati --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Who we are and what we are capable of becoming… is it determined by our actions and choices, or by forces beyond our control. Can we change things if we make the right moves, or is it all set in stone, predetermined before we were ever born? Are we victims, mere pawns; chess pieces on a universal board...or do we actually have agency, some semblance of power, or sway over who we were and will become? Free will vs Fate Shai Hemsut Ikenga Ori Mahakala Varuna Kali Anunnaki Mamitu Manat Bangun Bangun Muhen Zurvan Fatia Zana Laima Dalia Norns Moirai Parcae Ananke References: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fate https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destiny https://mythology.wikia.org/wiki/Time_and_fate_deity https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/shai/ http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/divinity_of_the_day/african/ikenga.asp http://www.orisa.si/en/spiritual-community/philosophy-of-orisha/ori https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahakala https://www.britannica.com/topic/Varuna https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kali https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anunnaki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamitu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manat_(goddess) https://pantheon.org/articles/b/bangun_bangun.html https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zurvan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatia https://amp.blog.shops-net.com/36909042/1/ora-mythology.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zana_(mythology) https://www.britannica.com/topic/Laima https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/412826 https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/others/the-norns/ https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/The_Fates/the_fates.html https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Primordial/Ananke/ananke.html https://mythology.wikia.org/wiki/Time_and_fate_deity --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome back. I hope you and yours have remained safe and are doing well. 2020 was a long one for many of us. Hopefully, 2021 will at the very least, be an improvement; I'm rooting for each and every one of you. I know some of you have doubts, even concerns about what lies ahead. The thing is no one knows what the future will hold because it hasn't happened yet. For better or worse, what does or doesn't come to pass will be largely determined by our actions moving forward. Change Definition Butterfly Chameleon Snake Rebirth and Renewal Definition Lotus Triskele Easter Phoenix Ouroboros New Year's Celebrations New Year's Eve (U.S.) Chinese Lunar New Year Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur Spain Denmark Colombia Songkran Finland Brazil Panama Greece The Philippines. Scotland Chile Japan Belgium References: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/change https://www.sunsigns.org/change-symbolism-meanings/ https://givemehistory.com/ancient-symbols-of-rebirth https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/new-year-celebrations-around-world/ https://greenglobaltravel.com/celebrate-new-year-traditions-around-the-world/ https://worldstrides.com/blog/2016/12/9-new-years-traditions-cultures-around-world/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

The winter season typically brings to mind the cold, hibernating animals, snow-covered...everything, and of course family gatherings. We prepare for frozen storms and historically, potential food shortages; even power outages, and being stuck at home inside. But it's also a time of being thankful, grateful for the things we do have, and more importantly the people we have in our lives. When many of us think Winter Holidays it likely brings to mind Christmas and New Years', but there are several others that you may not know much about, or have even heard of. So let's see if we can garner a little love for the other festive practices out there. Christmas (December 25, 2020) Yule/Winter Solstice (December 21, 2020) Hanukkah (December 10, 2020) Three Kings Day (January 6, 2021) St. Lucia Day (December 13, 2020) St. Nicholas Day (December 6, 2020) Kwanza (December 26, 2020, to January 1, 2021) Advent (November 29 to December 24, 2020) Bodhi Day (December 8, 2020) Las Posadas (December 16-24, 2020) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Unlike last week, this episode is perfectly kid-friendly. So feel free to cuddle up with your little ones and listen together to the several depictions of Santa from around the world. With a little bit of magic, the long-lived saint continues to spread joy and cheer everywhere he goes, taking on many faces. St. Nicholas Sinterklaas Christkind Ded Moroz Father Christmas Pere Noel Tomte/Jultomten Los Reyes Magos Yule Goat (Joulupukki) Catalonia- Tio de Nadal La Befana Papa Noel Santa Kurohsu Hoteiosho --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

It's that time of year again, where sleigh bells ring and colorful lights can be seen all around. A time of joy and cheer, laughter, and family; the time of year we expect to see the best in humanity. It's a time of love and hope. Starting this week, I will be attempting to stick to a monthly theme, each episode building on the last, kicking things off with a winter/holiday motif. Be forewarned, this particular episode isn't exactly for the kiddies, it contains some acts of violence towards children. Nothing too descriptive...but these old stories can get pretty gnarly. Summary of the episode topic: The Anti-Santa (2:10) Krampus (2:44) Lussi (4:05) Knecht Ruprecht (5:22) Frau Perchta (6:38) Straggele (7:46) The Yule Cat (8:16) Gryla (8:56) The Yule Lads (9:26) Hans Trapp (10:53) Black Peter (11:53) Pere Fouettard (Father Whipper) (12:39) Mari Lwyd (13:38) Belsnickel (14:55) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

This week is going to be a first for Faith and Fear, we have a small party going on and you folks are invited. Joining me today are Nicole O'hara and Matt Ip Shaw of “Myth Illogical”. Together we discuss ritual and ceremony in everyday life, the semantics of religion, and the debate over the differences between religion and myth. This is easily one of my favorite episodes so far. I hope you enjoy. Introduction of the Mythological Crew (1:23) Ritual and Ceremony in Everyday Life (11:10) Semantics of Religion (17:15) Religion vs. Myth (35:55) Closing summary of the episode topic (53:35) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Today I will be bringing you episode 1 of Pop Incarnations, a sporadic series of bonus episodes, whose sole purpose will be to focus on incarnations of mythological and folkloric figures in popular culture. Each episode will concentrate on one particular show, movie, or literary property. Currently, it's Thanksgiving week, a time for friends...and family. Friends and family are important. Sometimes too important. Having just ended its 15-year run, I've decided to start with a show all about family, I'm talking Supernatural. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

We are all human; beings of flesh and blood and bone. Beneath the surface, we're essentially composed of the same organic materials, and it's the exterior, the cosmetic, superficial differences that tend to drive us apart. I'm talking about skin color, pigmentation, or lack thereof. Among all the reasons to divide ourselves, we arbitrarily designate the production of melanin as one of them. Albinism: Definition (2:25) The Symptoms (3:05) The myths Misconceptions (3:48) Africa (6:16) Caribbean (6:54) North America (7:15) South America (7:37) Portrayal and Depiction (8:01) Continued persecution (8:20) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Spirituality, magic, ritual, they go back pretty much as far as humans have been self-aware. Whether you agree with the need for such beliefs or belief in a higher power at all, they remain significant aspects of community and culture. They shape not only our worldview but our sense of self and personal identity as well. Ethnic Traditions and Cultural Practices Old European Magick Cunning Folk Stregheria Asia Japanese (Shinto) Onmyodo Chinese (Wuism) African Diaspora Voodoo Haitian Voodoo Hoodoo Indigenous Americas Shamanism Latino Bruja Santeria Curandero Syncretism: the blending of different religions, cultures, or philosophies. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

This week I want to discuss matters of religion and spirituality, specifically ritual and spiritual practices...and what some choose to call...“magic”. Ritual and magick are two of those loaded words that can mean different things to different people, instilling comfort, or igniting fear. But the truth is we all practice little rituals throughout our daily lives, performing a little magick, enacting our will upon the world around us. Before I go further, I want to make it clear that I am not intending to be disrespectful or antagonistic in any way. My intent is to look at these practices objectively and discuss the similarities in order to promote understanding and tolerance. Ritual Practices and Magic Traditions Judaism/Christianity/and Islam Catholicism Judaism Islam Kabbalah, Western Mysticism, Sufism Witchcraft and Paganism Wicca Gardnerian Alexandrian Paganism --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

In the tradition of oral storytelling, this week I want to spend a little time here on the homefront and take a deeper dive into American folklore; a fundamental part of early American literature and culture. Many of these stories were born of settlers and frontiersmen, created from bragging contests and exaggerations of events that actually occurred, evolving into fictional characters who were even larger than life. Heroes from Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett, to Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan, these legends shaped our young country in many ways and largely made our nation what it is today. But there are other stories, likely less known, whose characters and narratives are just as deeply a part of what made this country and its people who they are. Some are reflected in superstitions and local beliefs, while others have gone on to influence popular culture and animated icons. Native American Folklore Crow Brings Daylight The Maid of the Mist Fire Coyote and the Columbia The First Tears African American Folklore Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby Boo Hag Big Liz The People Could Fly --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

This week is going to be a little different. For my Halloween episode, joining me is Mrs. Brenda Cheslock, of "This Could Be My Last Podcast". Together we'll be discussing cannibalism and the lore of the wendigo. Also, an additional warning for this week, this episode contains discussions of murder and cannibalism.* Wendigo lore                    -True Crime                              +  Swift Runner                               +  Jack Fiddler --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Storytelling is at the core of human language, a language that does not always need words to be understood. It is as versatile as it is significant to us as a species. We each have our own story to tell, our own trials, our own values, and traditions, our own history; each worthy of being told. So tell me, how will you preserve yours? The Power of Storytelling -Oral Traditions + West African Griot + The Irish Seanchai + Trinidad Calypso + Arabic Zajal + Sicilian Cunto + Japanese Rakugo -Dancing and Non-traditional + Native Hawaiian Hula + Indian Baharatanatyam + Chinese Shadow Puppetry --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

This being my inaugural episode, I decided that there was nowhere better to start than creation. Every religion, every culture around the world, has some belief on how it all started, and it's possible that we will never agree on an answer. Still, it's interesting to see how our understanding of our origin shapes our worldview; whether it be intelligent design or the theory of evolution. Creation Narratives: Science Theology and Mythology o The Genesis of the Judeo-Christian and Islamic Faiths o The Greeks and the Titans o Norse Mythology o Cherokee Cosmology o Yoruba (Africa) o Shinto (Japan) o Mesoamerican (Mayan) o Ancient Egypt --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support

Who we are, who we were, and who we're destined to become, are all reflections of the stories we tell. Of gods and devils, from tales of the heart, to those of fear and foreboding, stories shape us and the world we live in; myths, folk tales, and even religious parables, all define our cultures and beliefs. In each episode of Faith and Fear we will dip our toes into the comparative narratives spanning the globe, considering the concepts and archetypes common to us all. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandfear/support