Out of the Average

Do you have an experience with a Spirit Board/Ouija? While most have heard of a wild Ouija story from either a friend or seen it being used in horror movies - what some may not know that the Ouija has very unassuming origins. This week, Allison discusses the unexpected history of the spirit boards - why and when they were created - as well as how spirit boards are said to work (psst, it's not as spiritual as you may think!) Recorded Remotely and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-strange-and-mysterious-history-of-the-ouija-board-5860627/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouida https://www.vox.com/2016/10/29/13301590/how-ouija-boards-work-debunked-ideomotor-effect

Ahooooooooo Happy Halloween everybody! This week on O.O.T.A. Meg dives into the dark history behind European werewolf folklore. We uncover the heinously real criminal acts that were portrayed as supernatural atrocities committed by werewolves. Maybe sexy wolf is more of your speed? We touch on a little of both in this episode so take a listen and let us know what you think! CW: mentions of murder, violence, assault, torture Recorded and edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Mike Vontas. Sources: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.history.com/.amp/topics/folklore/history-of-the-werewolf-legend https://www.history.com/.amp/news/werewolf-trials-europe-witches https://www.britannica.com/science/lycanthropy https://www.historicmysteries.com/werewolf-legends/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%B6lsunga_saga https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycaon_(king_of_Arcadia) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Stumpp

We are finally back after a longer than planned hiatus, friends, and just in time for spooky season! Meg and Allison catch up on some spooky travels and spooky events they went on separately during the podcast break and then chat about some "out of the average" media! **Trigger Warning - though most of the mention is brief: War, Child Loss, Gore, Murder** Mentioned in Episode!: -Farnsworth Inn (Gettysburg, PA): http://www.farnsworthhouseinn.com/ -House of Spirits (NYC): https://houseofspiritssoiree.com/new-york/ Malignant - 39:20 Midnight Mass - 49:20

We present to you our short and sweet Media Review Episode for July 2021! Note: We plan on taking a midsummer hiatus for the month of August. See you all in September. Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Time Stamps: Books: A Song of Achilles 3:40 The Silence of the Girls 8:10 Movies: Old 16:40

This week's episode covers a unique and interesting creepy pasta that influenced the first season of a Syfy tv show! Allison takes a little bit of time today to talk about Candle Cove, a fictional forum discussing a “forgotten” children's tv show written by American webcartoonist Kris Straub on his website Ichor Falls all the way back in 2009. Not only is the fiction story dark - the way the internet has taken and formed it is absolutely wild. *Wasn't clarified in the episode* Kris Straub's Youtube Channel is Local 58: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPdgWYB9fdw. Sources: https://www.creepypasta.com/candle-cove/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Zero_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_Straub https://candlecove.fandom.com/wiki/Candle_Cove_Wiki https://www.ichorfalls.com/ https://www.ichorfalls.com/2009/03/15/candle_cove/index.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSaJEUB9oMw

This week Meg dives into the roots of the Spiritualism Movement in the United States- the Fox Sisters. We start by talking about the incident in 1848 New York which kicked off a career of celebrity mediumship for Maggie, Kate, and Leah Fox. Keep your ears and mind open, and let us know what you think! Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Mike Vontas. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burned-over_district https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritualism#Origins The Complete Book of Ghosts by Paul Roland Pages 46-51 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-fox-sisters-and-the-rap-on-spiritualism-99663697/ https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2016/11/04/in-the-joints-of-their-toes/

This week's topic for the pod is not quite "out of the average" but definitely interesting all the same. Allison goes over basic game theory to introduce Meghan to three well-known and puzzling game theory dilemmas: The Prisoner's Dilemma, the Volunteer's Dilemma, and the Traveler's Dilemma. Stuck in between these theories and some other moral dilemmas, what would you do? Happy listening. Recorded Remotely and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gametheory.asp https://healthcare-in-europe.com/en/news/this-is-where-your-brain-makes-up-its-mind-about-moral-dilemmas.html https://www.buzzfeed.com/tracyclayton/moral-dilemmas-that-will-break-your-brain

*Explicit Content Mentioned* You guys know the drill. The fourth Friday of the month is our media episode! Check time stamps below to see what we are chatting about. Happy listening! Time Stamps Meg and Allison's Origin Story 3:11 Movies: Midsommar 7:27 Luca 17:00 Shows: Blood of Zeus 23:40 Koishite Akuma ~ Vampire Boy ~ 35:50

Happy summer y'all! The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is just a few days away from the release of this episode so we figured we'd go into a little bit of the history and practices of Midsummer! Stick around for the end of the episode as Allison treats us to a collective Oracle reading for some solstice guidance. Enjoy! Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Mike Vontas. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_solstice https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer https://druidry.org/druid-way/teaching-and-practice/druid-festivals/summer-solstice-alban-hefin https://www.learnreligions.com/holly-king-and-the-oak-king-2562991 https://stairnaheireann.net/2016/04/13/the-holly-and-oak-king/amp/ https://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/litha/

Twin Flames - do we all have one? Or more importantly - do we all need one? This is potentially a more polarizing topic for the podcast this time around but why not!? While we have our own thoughts and opinions on twin flames, we actually were originally supposed to have a guest with us to chat this week and balance us out a bit - do you have thoughts or experiences around twin flames? Let us know and send us a message at outoftheaveragepod@gmail.com. We'd love to hear it. Recorded Remotely and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music credits to Michael Vontas.  Sources: https://medium.com/game-of-self/are-twin-flames-real-or-justified-obsession-664c2f24c0f3 https://medium.com/spiritual-tree/the-history-of-twin-flames-bfdb191392d6 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symposium_(Plato) https://lonerwolf.com/twin-flame-stages/ https://www.thelawofattraction.com/twin-flames/ https://elligold.com/the-myth-of-soulmates/ https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/soul-mate-vs-twin-flame?segment=1*28zrwo*s_amp_id*c3V1bks1cVZKcWxNMV9lU0tXNzRjWjBDeTVjOEFhVUp5QndYR2NYTWwxUnU0UFZnYS05YUJaZ0JxUzVCcXFWeg.. https://goop.com/wellness/spirituality/find-your-twin-flame/ https://lonerwolf.com/twin-flame/

While there is definitely something so healing about being around huge bodies of water, under the depth, some lakes can hold some spooky secrets. This episode, we are chatting about two different lakes: Lake Lanier in North Georgia and Long Island's very own Lake Ronkonkoma. Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://www.onetravel.com/going-places/america-s-most-haunted-lakes-and-ponds/ https://travelnoire.com/georgia-lake-lanier-haunted-twitter-chimes-in https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/31/us/lake-lanier-urban-legends-trnd/index.html https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/life/life-top-stories/history-center-recounts-tales-about-ghosts-of-gainesville/ https://ronkonkomachamber.com/myths-legends/ https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thetravel.com/is-lake-ronkonkoma-haunted/amp/ https://patch.com/new-york/sachem/the-legends-of-lake-ronkonkoma

Happy Fourth Friday of the Month! We have three items on the agenda for May 2021's media episode! Check out time stamps below to see what we are tackling. Happy listening! Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovksy. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Time Stamps: Movies: Things Seen and Heard 1:08 Demon Slayer: Mugen Train 7:55 Books: The Dreamers Trilogy: Mr. Impossible 13:50

Have you ever heard of a tulpa before? Or perhaps have you made one? This week Meghan gives the lowdown on what exactly a tulpa is - a concept steeped in Tibetan Buddhist theology, adapted by Theosophists in the early 20th century, and reshaped once again through the forums of Reddit. Join Meg, Allison, and recurring guest Melissa this week for a conversation about this mystical concept. Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Mike Vontas. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought-Forms_(book) http://somatosphere.net/2015/varieties-of-tulpa-experiences-sentient-imaginary-friends-embodied-joint-attention-and-hypnotic-sociality-in-a-wired-world.html/ https://www.vice.com/en/article/exmqzz/tulpamancy-internet-subculture-892 https://www.reddit.com/r/Tulpas/wiki/index https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_David-Néel Theosophy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilma_af_Klint https://theosophy.wiki/en/Egregore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egregore https://theslenderman.fandom.com/wiki/The_Tulpa_Effect

If you're a fan of any kind of spooky media, surely you've heard of a haunted doll before. This week Meg and Allison go into the true stories behind a few of the most well known possessed dolls that you may have seen. Check it out and let us know what you think! Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haunted_doll https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/history-creepy-dolls-180955916/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annabelle_(doll) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_and_Lorraine_Warren https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/632800/ed-and-lorraine-warren-paranormal-investigator-facts https://tonyspera.com https://www.connecticutmag.com/from_the_archives/ed-and-lorraine-warren-of-the-conjuring-have-a-long-history-of-paranormal-investigation-in/article_138e51f4-4e1d-5d65-9803-6bcd28c721dd.html https://isladelasmunecas.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannenji_Temple https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_toy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._T._A._Hoffmann#Assessment https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.escape.com.au/destinations/asia/japan/creepy-story-behind-this-japanese-doll/news-story/a537f5c052bd7425e12abf5b778faf9a%3famp https://sites.psu.edu/getcultured/2018/11/02/okiku-doll/ https://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/key-west/robert-the-doll https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-story-behind-the-worlds-most-haunted-doll

Could there possibly be in an invisible string connecting us to others - potentially in this case, the one we are destined to be with? This week, Allison introduces the concept as well as a few original myths of the "Red String of Fate," that originates from Chinese mythology and can still be seen and used as symbolism in East Asian media! Recorded Remotely and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovksy. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_thread_of_fate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_string_(Kabbalah) https://folkency.nfm.go.kr/en/topic/detail/5990 https://www.faena.com/aleph/the-legend-of-the-red-string-of-japan https://brightside.me/wonder-curiosities/the-red-string-of-fate-a-beautiful-japanese-legend-140105/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinky_swear https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vena_amoris

Happy Fourth Friday of the Month! Check the time stamps below to see what media we consumed this month. Happy listening! Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music credits to Michael Vontas. Time Stamps: Books: The Silent Companions 00:44 Television: Yu Yu Hakusho 12:12 Games: Kentucky Route Zero 18:34 Misc: Spooky Geology 24:05 Sources: Dummy Boards https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/meet-the-enigmatic-silent-companions-in-our-collections https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yu_Yu_Hakusho http://kentuckyroutezero.com/ https://spookygeology.com

Did you know that Long Island had its own local witch trial, one that took place almost 35 years before those in Salem? This week Meg tells Allison all about the witchcraft trial of Goody Garlick of East Hampton. Take a listen and let us know what you think! Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pequots https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poggatacut_(sachem) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montaukett https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Hampton_(town),_New_York https://familypedia.wikia.org/wiki/Lion_Gardiner_(1599-1663) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Gardiner https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Garlick https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/before-salem-there-was-the-not-so-wicked-witch-of-the-hamptons-95603019/ https://patch.com/new-york/sayville/long-islands-own-witchcraft-trial-1657 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gardiner-161 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Blanchard-2571

The second of two episodes released this week! Meghan and Allison discuss the concept of liminality for the first time on the pod. What do you immediately think of when you hear the word "liminality"? Is it more concrete or more supernatural to you? In a fairly conversational, non-researched episode, we dive into this fairly straightforward but not really (?) straightforward topic. Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Check out our website outoftheaveragepod.squarespace.com or follow us on Instagram @outoftheaveragepod Source:  Kentucky Route Zero - http://kentuckyroutezero.com/

Hey everybody! Here's a freshly recorded retake of an episode we tried to get out for you guys last week. This week, Meghan tells Allison and guest Melissa about a possible origin of April Fool's Day, centered around an ancient Roman festival for the Goddess Cybele. Take a listen and let us know what you think! Sources: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hilaria-Greco-Roman-festival https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilaria https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Mother-of-the-Gods https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrygia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybele https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibylline_Books https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Tarquinius_Superbus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attis https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools'_Day https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Boskin https://www.history.com/.amp/topics/holidays/april-fools-day

It's the fourth Friday of the month so hello media episode!! You can check out what we talked about and when by checking out the time stamps below. Happy Friday and happy listening! Video Games: Paradise Killer 1:00 T.V.: The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. 12:33 Movies: Tenet 18:25 Unacknowledged 27:13

Did you know you could calculate the numbers of your birthday and name to uncover different parts of your path and personality? Piggybacking off of last week's episode about our main man, Pythagoras, we are diving into some Chaldean and Pythagorean numerology, which sets the basis for popular Western numerology, as well as chatting about our own personal numerology! Remotely Recorded by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://divinityworld.com/ancient-secrets-revealed-of-how-pythagorean-numerology-works/ (Chart) https://numerologist.com/numerology/pythagorean-numerology-what-is-it/ https://www.dcode.fr/pythagorean-numerology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerology Chaldea Chaldeansystem.html https://cafeastrology.com/numerology.html https://numerology.astro-seek.com https://www.starsandtarot.com/post/arrows-of-pythagoras-in-numerology

Throwback to mentioning Pythagoras in our episode "Cults, Crackers, and Cornflakes" - we are releasing a whole episode on (potentially?) our favorite "semi-divine" mathematician. There is a lot more mysticism and suspicion around Pythagoras than just the famous "Pythagorean Theorem" (and there are debates if that was even his!). A callback to a lost fifteen page paper from her Mathematics Degree days and the re-found sources to prove it, Allison discusses with Meghan the mysteries around Pythagoras, his beliefs, and his famous "cult-like" school and rules. Enjoy and happy listening! Recorded Remotely and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://classicalwisdom.com/philosophy/cult-of-pythagoras/ https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/pythagoras-504.php https://askastrologer.com/pythagoras-numero.html#:~:text=Pythagoras%20believed%20that%20every%20planet,represented%20this%20sound%20using%20numbers.&text=Pythagoras%20assigned%20a%20particular%20number,and%2022%20as%20master%20numbers. https://numerologist.com/numerology/pythagorean-numerology-what-is-it/ https://www.math.tamu.edu/~don.allen/history/pythag/pythag.html http://personal.kent.edu/~rmuhamma/Philosophy/PhiloHistory/pythagoras.htm http://www.deepspirits.com/ancient-sages/pythagoras/ James Luchte - Wandering Souls: The Doctrine of Transmigration in Pythagorean Philosophy https://www.equip.org/article/mystery-religion-what-were-the-mystery-religions/ http://factsanddetails.com/world/cat56/sub401/entry-6206.html

This week we have a short and (not so) sweet episode about a mysterious disappearance across the pond in the Outer Hebrides. Meg tells Allison about the story of three lighthouse keepers who vanished without a trace in 1900. Take a listen and let us know what you think! Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Mike Vontas. Sources: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Eilean-Mor-Lighthouse-Mystery/ https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usebooks/martin-westernislands/index.html https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/islay/finlaggan/index.html https://www.adventure-life.com/articles/scotland-flannan-islands-467 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flannan_Isles_Lighthouse Flannan_Isles wreck.aspx

Happy Fourth Friday of the Month (oops...we broke the rule last month!) - we present to you our Out of the Average Media episode of February. Below are timestamps so you can see what we are talking about and featuring in this episode! Apps: Randonautica Experience 0:45 CE5 App 7:50 Documentary: Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind 9:20 Books: Conjure Woman 14:24 Streaming Shows: Pushing Daisies 21:00 Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music Credits to Michael Vontas.

*Trigger Warning: Death and Grief, Sex. We love guest episodes! Jamie Schumann joins us this episode to chat about her work as a budding breathwork practitioner in her business, Inner Collective Garden. While on the pod, we talked about dreams and dream symbolism, astral projecting, and how breathwork can affect sleep, as well as whether or not it can even facilitate astral projecting! Jamie also speaks to us about her only two astral projecting experiences that have left a profound effect on her and her healing. You can find Jamie and her work on Instagram @collectiveinnergarden or at her website www.collectiveinnergarden.com Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music credits to Michael Vontas.

On Valentine's Day, Out of the Average will have officially reached its one year anniversary!! How exciting! And we decided that what better way to commemorate the holiday, as well as our anniversary, than a love story!!! The Story of Cupid (Eros?) and Psyche to be exact! This might be a tradition in the making...Happy listening. Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: http://www.auburn.edu/allynbaconanthology/documents/Cupid%20and%20Psyche.pdf  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Ass

Warning: Contains some explicit content. Cults, crackers, and cornflakes, oh my! This week Meg dives into the weird history behind a few popular food items in the U.S. - Celestial Seasonings, graham crackers, and cornflake cereal. These seemingly innocuous foodstuffs have rather peculiar creation stories and are seemingly connected historically as wel, though the links may not be obvious. This research was sparked by the supposition that Celestial Seasonings, the famous tea company, may have started with a cultish background, a notion that had been explored by food writer Megan Giller who's website can be found here. Let us know what you think! Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Mike Vontas. Sources: http://www.celestialseasonings.com https://www.inverse.com/article/10731-cults-conspiracies-and-the-twisted-history-of-sleepytime-tea https://thoughtcatalog.com/christine-stockton/2021/01/the-insane-true-story-of-the-racist-eugenics-book-your-inspirational-teabag-tag-might-be-based-on/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_S._Sadler https://www.foodandwine.com/drinks/sleepytime-tea-and-little-known-religion-behind-it http://www.megangiller.com/features#/cults-conspiracy-history-sleepytime-tea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_cracker https://time.com/3958070/history-of-veganism/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperance_movement Sylvester_Graham https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_vegetarianism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagoras https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granula

It’s that time of the month where Meghan and Allison take a dive into the out of the average media they've consumed and boy, do they have an episode for you! First they give a Baba Yaga call back in some media that cropped up, then they touch on some thought provoking concepts like the idea of children exploring past lives. But the biggest takeaway of all may be found in the question, is Tom Nook the new John Doe? Take a listen to find out the answer (maybe) and let us know your thoughts in the comments! *Trigger Warning* around the 15:11 mark there is conversation around death that may induce anxieties Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music Credits to Michael Vontas We tried to keep the spoilers really limited but here’s a list of timestamps in case you’d like to jump around: Baba Yaga - related: Teeny Tiny and the Witch Woman - 0:40 Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés - 4:49 Streaming Shows: WandaVision 6:49 Chilling Adventures of Sabrina 12:49 Surviving Death 15:11 Fate: The Winx Saga 22:58 The Promised Neverland 30:51 Movies: The Secret World of Arrietty 37:44 Books: Howl’s Moving Castle 43:59

Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? Meghan certainly has, and this week she dives into the limited science behind the phenomenon as well as some cultural beliefs associated with it as well. We also have a very special guest - Melissa Pavlovsky, Meghan's twin! The two of them describe their own experiences with sleep paralysis as well as postulate some metaphysical ideas about the process. Let us know what you think! Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis#Society_and_culture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnagogia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasomnia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypervigilance https://www.sleepfoundation.org/parasomnias/sleep-paralysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6082011/ https://www.npr.org/2019/11/21/781724874/seeing-monsters-it-could-be-the-nightmare-of-sleep-paralysis https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/06/science/alien-abduction-science-calls-it-sleep-paralysis.html https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/01/13/national/science-health/how-japans-teens-can-avoid-sleep-demons/ http://yokai.com/kanashibari/ https://mythology.wikia.org/wiki/Yōkai https://nuvomagazine.com/culture/canadian-urban-legends-newfoundlanders-can-tell-you-all-about-the-old-hag https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinn#Jinn_belief

This week, Allison covers the ambiguous mythological figure of Baba Yaga from Slavic Folklore. She's been seen and depicted in multiple different kinds of media, although is she really as "wicked" as they say? Allison explains where she had come to learn of Baba Yaga, briefly described her mythology, and then recounts two similar stories where Baba Yaga is the main antagonist - "Vasilisa the Beautiful" and "Baba Yaga and Natasha." Happy Listening, Friends! Recorded and Edited By Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/baba-yaga-confounding-crone-slavic-folklore-002836 https://www.britannica.com/topic/Baba-Yaga https://www.grunge.com/216412/the-legend-of-baba-yaga-explained/ https://www.therussianstore.com/blog/tale-of-baba-yaga-the-russian-witch/ https://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/65r.pdf The Goddess Oracle - Amy Sophia Marashinsky

We missed you guys for the last two weeks! We take the first episode of 2021 to catch up with each other! Some topics to note are breathwork, The Great Conjunction that happened on December 21st, and Meghan's bonkers alternate reality shifting (?) potentially time traveling (?) dream! Recorded remotely and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. *Since recorded remotely, apologies for the audio quality! Meghan's volume is a bit lower than Allison's. Link to Artemis Candle - FullMoonRadiance Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/698338945/artemis-greek-goddess-of-the-hunt-and?ref=yr_purchases Link to Raven Boys Candle - BriarWick Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/613306450/the-raven-boys-raven-cycle-inspired-soy?ref=yr_purchases BBC video on Precognition https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p08yxrlb/why-our-dreams-could-be-the-key-to-time-travel

That's a wrap on 2020. This is the last O.O.T.A. episode of 2020 and we can't believe it! Meg starts off the episode chatting about the history behind the tradition of the classic Christmas tree, and later on we chat about the mischievous Yule Lads and their forbidding mother Gryla on a little deep dive into Icelandic folklore. Take a listen, and join us for the last episode of the year. We are so thankful for this podcast and so thankful to our wonderful listeners. We can't wait to continue to be weird with you all in 2021!  Recorded and edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca   Music by Mike Vontas Sources:  https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas-trees https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia https://grpopcorn.com/blogs/news/history-of-popcorn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prose_Edda https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-thirteen-yule-lads-icelands-own-mischievous-santa-clauses-180948162/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_Christmas_folklore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jóhannes_úr_Kötlum

This week, we bring an amazing guest onto the pod! Tiffany, also known as Priestess Theophania on Instagram, joins us via remote recording to talk about her experience and work as a channel. She shares some crazy stories about her channeling, introduces some of the gods and goddesses she loves working with, and even gives us a little peek at her process. Long story short, Tiffany is incredible and you definitely want to listen to this episode! Happy listening. Follow Tiffany on Instagram @priestess.theophania Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Check out our website outoftheaveragepod.squarespace.com or email us outoftheaveragepod@gmail.com

Meghan and Allison are back remotely recording to bring you a new episode this week! Meghan begins the episode by explaining a ghost tour she went on in Arizona and then Allison talks about the mythology around one of the most iconic holiday plants - Mistletoe! Where do you think all those kissing traditions came from? And while the pandemic is probably bringing that little tradition to a halt this year - let's still chat about it! Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://www.icysedgwick.com/mistletoe-and-christmas/ https://www.dictionary.com/e/mistletoe/#:~:text=The%20word%20mistletoe%20comes%20from,how%20we%20ultimately%20get%20mistletoe) https://www.history.com/news/why-do-we-kiss-under-the-mistletoe http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/articles/mythology_folklore/mistletoe.asp https://www.bustle.com/articles/126992-8-mistletoe-facts-that-are-so-weird-they-might-make-you-rethink-this-holiday-tradition https://meipel.ca/blogs/blog/mistletoe-norse-myths-and-celtic-traditions

Allison takes on the podcast herself this week to discuss a birthday present she bought for herself, some favorite book series, and some November Netflix goodies. Time Stamps Astrology 0:45 Books: *Percy Jackson Universe 8:15 *Arc of a Sycthe Series 15:45 Visual Media: *Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb 19:30 *The Queen’s Gambit 22:30 *Rebecca 26:30

This week, Allison introduces the renowned alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, to the podcast....but was he ever really an alchemist at all? You may recognize his name from a popular book series or two, but Nicolas Flamel was indeed a real man! Let's dive in to some things we know about his legendary life, shall we? ***Note: There will not be a new episode next week on November 20! Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://www.history.com/news/what-was-the-philosophers-stone https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/paris/who-was-nicolas-flamel-the-story-of-the-famous-french-alchemist/ https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/nicolas-flamel-0013076 https://youtu.be/4Cl4-of7bi4

This week, Allison teaches Meghan the myth of Izanagi and Izanami, also known as the Japanese Creation Myth! Though it's own mythology based in Shintoism, there are quite a few similarities to two very well-known Greek myths. Can you tell which ones before we get to it? Happy listening. Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas Email us at outoftheaveragepod@gmail.com or follow us on Instagram @outoftheaveragepod Sources: https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/IzanagiandIzunami https://www.learnreligions.com/japanese-mythology-izanami-and-izanagi-4797951 https://parabola.org/2018/05/27/izanagi-and-izanami-a-japanese-myth-retold-by-paul-jordan-smith/

Happy (almost) Halloween, friends! We decided to put together a short and sweet little episode to express our love for the holiday - including discussing a little trip we took (safely of course!), some older pagan traditions that have shifted but still show themselves in our modern day Halloween, and what we specifically love about the holiday. Do you feel the magic in the air? Oh you might just be feeling the blue moon coming up! Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music credits to Michael Vontas. Email us your Halloween traditions or spooky costumes at outoftheaveragepod@gmail.com or check us out at outoftheaveragepod.squarespace.com Sources: https://time.com/5434659/halloween-pagan-origins-in-samhain/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/holydays/samhain.shtml https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/samhain https://specifipedia.com/the-legends-of-samhain-part-one/

Happy fourth Friday of the month! Spooky season is upon us...and thus enters our October 2020 Media episode where we dive into the spooky events, Netflix shows, and books we consumed this month. As always, we try to keep our thoughts spoiler-free, but below you will find all the things we cover this episode (along with timestamps if you would like to skip ahead)! Did you consume any of these this month? Time Stamps 1:20 Spook Walk 7:07 The Haunting of Hill House (t.v. show) 10:25 The Haunting of Bly Manor (t.v. show) 15:38 Ratched (t.v. show) 30:59 Ghosts (t.v. show) 36:43 Shiver (book) Email us at outoftheaveragepod@gmail.com or follow us on instagram @outoftheaveragepod Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas

Spooky season continues, and this week we touch on the story behind a classic horror tale: Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus, by Mary Shelley. Seen as the first scientific fiction story, Meg goes into the possible influences behind the tale including Germany’s Frankenstein castle and the writings of Mary Shelley’s mother- Mary Wollstonecraft. We hope you enjoy this episode, let us know what you think! Recorded and edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Mike Vontas. **NOTE** A different version of this episode was previously published. This episode was edited for clarity and consistency of facts. The original version of this episode included the false statement that Allegra Byron was Lord Byron’s only child, whereas Meghan meant to have said Lord Byron’s only child with Claire Claremont. Episode edited as of 10/16/200 5:18 p.m. EST.  Sources:  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Shelley https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walpurgis_Night https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_Castle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wollstonecraft https://youtu.be/WbxHu-XUfZo

Truthfully, in our opinion, no gremlins, goblins, or ghosts will ever be scarier than humans. We are kicking off spooky season with a chilling true crime tale that extends from Hungary to NYC that potentially could have a supernatural twist. Let us know what you think at our website outoftheaveragepod.squarespace.com! You can also reach us at outoftheaveragepod@gmail.com and on insta @outoftheaveragepod Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9la_Kiss https://murderpedia.org/male.K/k/kiss-bela.htm

This week on O.O.T.A.: ley lines. After talking (read: gushing) about The Raven Boys in our media episode, we decided to pluck out one of the main topics of the book and do a little deep dive on it. We talk about the scientific and supernatural connotations of ley lines, how the idea came into being, and how they might not be as mystical as they seem. Take a listen and let us know what you think! Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music by Michael Vontas Sources: https://allthatsinteresting.com/ley-lines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Watkins https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/unexplained-phenomena/ley-lines.htm https://www.livescience.com/41349-ley-lines.html

Let's face it...we consume a lot of media, so we decided to make a monthly episode released on the fourth Friday of each month dedicated to all the "out of the average" books, movies, shows, events, etc. we had encountered throughout our month. Below are all the media we consumed this September, as well as time stamps if you want to skip to that section! We have tried to make our thoughts as spoiler-free as possible, but just be wary if you don't like spoilers and haven't seen said media yet. Have you encountered any of these before? Time Stamps: Books: Midnight Sun - 11:25 Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts - 23:04  The Raven Boys - 27: 12 Shows: Julie and the Phantoms  - 35:23 Movies: Spirited Away - 40:45 Kiki's Delivery Service - 46:43 Denver Art Museum  Let us know what you think about episodes like this. Do you have any thoughts? Email us outoftheaveragepod@gmail.com or follow us on Instagram @outoftheaveragepod Edited and Recorded by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music Credits to Michael Vontas.

This week we talk about manifesting Chris Evans into our lives.... just kidding (kind of). Allison and Meg dive into the dream realm, what our dreams can mean for our immediate future, as well as what place they hold in our general psyche. Allison shares with us a profound dream she recently had and how she interpreted its meaning. Meg introduces the concept of dreams "bleeding" through to reality. Take a listen and let us know what you think! The Dream Dictionary from A to Z Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music by Michael Vontas.

For our first episode featuring an alien abduction, we figured we'd go to the first alien abduction story ever reported: the Hill abduction. This week Meg covers the baffling story of Betty and Barney Hill who claimed to have been abducted by aliens in New Hampshire in 1961. Allison and this week's guest Melissa Pavlovsky (previously heard on episode 15 "Toilet Dreams") add insights and try to deconstruct the reasons behind this extraterrestrial encounter, and we even get into a little starseed related theory. Try to stay grounded as this story is out of this world!  Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Michael Vontas. Sources:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_and_Betty_Hill https://thestarseedscompass.com/2017/11/03/zeta-starseeds/

Do you see yourself living among the stars or at least do you believe you used to? If you don't even know what starseeds are, we got you covered this episode! Allison does her best to explain the metaphysical concept and then goes through a myriad of different starseeds races and traits. Orion, Sirius, Andromeda....and so many more! Listen in to see if you resonate. You might be a starseed and not even know it. Edited and Recorded by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music credits to Michael Vontas. Reach out! Email us at outoftheaveragepod@gmail.com or Instagram @outoftheaveragepod Website: www.outoftheaveragepod.squarespace.com Sources: list used: https://otherworldlyoracle.com/types-of-starseeds/ https://youtu.be/nlHXwcSNvYs - What's a Starseed - Gigi Young https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULNoHKSVCLg - Why does all this starseed stuff matter? - Gigi Young

Hey friends, have you ever heard of "The Monkey's Paw"? No? Well, neither did Meghan! This week, Allison reads a spooky short cautionary tale story written in the early 1900's and boy, is it eerie. Be careful what you wish for. Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Reach us at outoftheaveragepod@gmail.com or on instagram @outoftheaveragepod Sources: https://americanliterature.com/author/w-w-jacobs/short-story/the-monkeys-paw

Two for tea and tea for two, Meghan and Allison share some (mostly English) tea superstitions found while doing a deep dive on finding out what it means to spill a cup of tea (nothing apparently). Afterwards, we both try our hand at reading tea leaves. Pictures of the tea leaf session can be found on outoftheaveragepod.squarespace.com so check it out to follow along! Recorded and Edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Mike Vontas Sources: https://greenwitchtea.com/tea-superstitions/ https://www.twinings.co.uk/about-twinings/latest-news-and-articles/tea-superstitions?aliaspath=%2fAbout-Twinings%2fLatest-News-and-Articles%2fTea-Superstitions https://www.allure.com/story/how-to-read-tea-leaves-tasseography http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18241/18241-h/18241-h.htm

August 7th is National Twin Day, so how perfect is it that Meghan just happens to be a twin? Meghan invites her sister, Melissa, to come on the podcast for a free-flowing episode to chat about their twin experiences. They chat about and demonstrate their twin speak and sometimes they have the same exact dreams. Do you think M&M had a past life together? Who knows! Enjoy this episode and if you have a twin, give them a hug for the national holiday. Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas.

This week, we are bringing a special update! For reference, check out Past Lives Part One before you jump into this one for a little more background knowledge and information. Meghan talks about her first experience ever doing a past life regression (literally the day before recording!) and Allison stays on brand by expressing how pleased she was with channeling a full past life journey on her own (although most of the details will remain unknown). What do you think Meghan and Allison experienced in their past lives? Are you curious about doing your own past life regression now? Enjoy the update! Also stay until the end if you want to hear a small blooper haha Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music credits to Michael Vontas. Sources: Heal Your Past Life Fears: A Guided Process to Realize Your Soul's Potential by Ainslie MacLeod

"Here come the Men In Black"....Trust us, it's stuck in our heads too. This week on O.O.T.A. Meg jumps into one of her favorite alien related conspiracies: the Men In Black. Though we do mention Will Smith a number of times (5 to be exact), this episode isn't about the 1997 movie, but rather an introductory dive into the conspiracy itself. Who are the men in black? Take a listen to find out. Recorded and edited by Meghan Pavlovsky and Allison Varca. Music by Mike Vontas. Here's the link to the video we refer to in this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcToNxPvZAE&feature=youtu.be&t=1m25s Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_in_black https://www.gaia.com/article/dan-aykroyd-unplugged-on-ufos https://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/3281808-ufo-sightings-in-thefalls/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maury_Island_incident https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Arnold