Chthonia
Explore the world of the Dark Feminine in myth, religion, folklore, and magic.
- Update frequency
- every 11 days
- Average duration
- 54 minutes
- Episodes
- 165
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Asherah
This week I examine the Canaanite mother goddess represented by a sacred tree, and according to some archaeological evidence and speculation, may have been the wife of the Biblical god Yahweh. The ep…
01:03:03 |
Sun 17 Sep 2023
Astarte
This week we look at Astarte, wife of Baal, goddess of love, hunting and war. We take a dive into Canaanite religion and its relationship to early Judaic religion, including her mentions in the Baal …
01:01:08 |
Sat 02 Sep 2023
Ammit, Egyptian Devourer of the Dead
This week we look at the Ancient Egyptian chimeric demoness called Ammit. Having the head of a crocodile, the hindquarters of a hippopotamus, and the forequarters of a lion, Ammit stands beside Anubi…
00:46:18 |
Sun 20 Aug 2023
Agrat Bat Mahlat
This week we look at the "Dancing Demon" of Talmudic and Kabbalistic literature, one of the 4 wives of archangel Samael, and an "angel of sacred prostitution". Lilith is viewed as her competitor, and…
00:54:45 |
Sun 06 Aug 2023
Poludnica
Poludnica, also known as Lady Midday and the Noonwraith, is a demon of the harvest who punishes those who do not rest at noontime. She has various names throughout Eastern Europe, and is represented …
01:01:25 |
Sun 23 Jul 2023
Succubus
This week's podcast talks about the succubus, a female demon that is said to have sex with men while they sleep, and her male counterpart, the incubus. There is some version of the succubus in almost…
01:02:54 |
Sun 09 Jul 2023
The Gorgons
I have talked about the Gorgon Medusa on this podcast in the past; today's episode looks at all three Gorgons, Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. This is a deep dive into the psychological meaning of the G…
00:56:39 |
Sun 25 Jun 2023
Chthonia Conversations: Talking Slavic Creation and Afterlife with Joanna Madloch
We finally have a new Chthonia Conversation, and Joanna Madloch is back! We dive into Slavic theogony (creation mythology) and conceptions of the afterlife in the stories of Perun, Veles, and their o…
01:03:57 |
Fri 16 Jun 2023
Dybbuks
In the first part of the 2000s, there were paranormal TV shows and movies made about the Dybbuk (or Dibbuk), an evil spirit from Judaic folklore that can possess a person. The idea of the "Dybbuk Box…
00:54:59 |
Sun 11 Jun 2023
Lamashtu
This episode looks at the Babylonian goddess Lamashtu, who may be one of the earliest examples of a vampiric goddess who hunts humans and feeds on flesh, particularly that of unborn children. While w…
00:44:57 |
Wed 31 May 2023
Valkyries
This week's episode is about the Valkyries, the "choosers of the slain" who bring warriors to Odin's Valhalla, to fight at the "twilight of the gods," Ragnarok. We look at the original role of the Va…
00:56:28 |
Sun 14 May 2023
Latawica
This episode explores the Latawica, female spirits of the aborted or stillborn in Slavic mythology. The term Latawica is also used in connection with "loose" women, as these spirits that appear as ha…
00:46:38 |
Sun 30 Apr 2023
Murrain (Plague) Maiden
This week's podcast is a long one--I talk about the Murrain Maiden, also called the Plague Maiden, or Morowa Dziewica. When she enters a town waving her red handkerchief, the residents are doomed. Th…
01:24:08 |
Tue 18 Apr 2023
Chthonia Conversations: Talking Embodiment with Orryelle Defenestrate Bascule
This month's conversation is with esoteric artist Orryelle Defenestrate Bascule. Our discussion centers around Orryelle's art, music, and ritual theatre performance, including his film "Solve et Coag…
01:07:41 |
Sat 15 Apr 2023
Rusalka
This week we look at the Rusalka, an elemental spirit from Slavic folklore. She is described either as spirit of forest and field or as a water spirit, though in both roles she is a "fertility wight,…
00:43:41 |
Sun 02 Apr 2023
Strzyga
This week we take a foray back into Slavic folklore, with a look at the female demonic figure known as the Strzyga (or Striga, or Strega). These are creatures with a gray or bluish appearance that fe…
00:47:41 |
Sun 19 Mar 2023
Pisacha
Welcome to Chthonia's 100th regular episode! We look at the Pisacha this week--flesh eating demons of Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Lord Shiva is frequently attended by bhuta (ghosts) and pisacha; wh…
00:42:51 |
Sun 05 Mar 2023
Empusa
This week we look at one of the "horrors of Hecate," the Empusa. Empusa is a shapeshifting daimon or ghost that is sometimes likened to a succubus, and sometimes a grotesque spirit that attacks men; …
01:00:12 |
Sun 19 Feb 2023
Chthonia Conversations: Beyond Masculine and Feminine with Alexandros Matsangos and Geoffreyjen Edwards
This month's conversation features two guests: Alexandros Matsangos, a translator, Psychology Ph.D., and author of "The Male Lesbian Manifesto"; Geoffreyjen Edwards is a former scientist, a fashion d…
01:04:39 |
Wed 15 Feb 2023
The Graeae
This week we look at the Graeae, three women who are "born old" and live in the Western lands at the edge of the world. They are sisters of the Gorgons, and watch over their home with the assistance …
00:59:13 |
Sun 05 Feb 2023
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are the property of Brigid Burke. This content is not affiliated with or endorsed by eachpod.com.