It’s the English class you didn't know you missed and the meaningful conversations you didn't know you craved. Join Vanessa Zoltan and Matt Potts as they bring thought, reflection and laughter to Harry Potter; not just as novels, but as instructive and inspirational texts that will teach us about our own lives. Relive the magic of Harry Potter chapter by chapter as Matt and Vanessa explore themes such as commitment, revenge and forgiveness. This podcast creates time in your week to think about life’s big questions. Because reading fiction doesn’t just help us escape the world, it helps us live in it.
Harry Potter and the Sacred Text is produced by Not Sorry Productions, a feminist organization that produces podcasts, educational content, live shows, and immersive experiences with the explicit goal of addressing the spiritual needs of its participants. Through community, rigor, and ritual, we treat traditionally secular things as if they were sacred. To learn more about what we do, visit https://notsorryworks.com/.
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We just dropped one of our favorite episodes so far of Let's Ask Taylor Swift with Vanessa and recent HPST guest host Daniel Schroeder, and since we're off between seasons of HPST we wanted to share that in the feed with you here! Harry Potter and the Sacred Text is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Vanessa and Casper wrap up their discussion of The Half-Blood Prince with a look back on the entire book! They discuss Dumbledore's strengths and weaknesses as a leader, Harry's final year at Hogwarts, and Hermione's unique role in this book. We're off for a few weeks between seasons, but we can't wait to get into Book 7 with you all! Stick around after the episode for a special conversation with Julia Argy about her upcoming writing retreat! Learn more and register on our website . Harry P...
This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Love in Chapter 30 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Hagrid’s role as patron saint of transitions, Bill and Fleur, and Harry’s pity for Draco! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how are grief and love interconnected? Thank you to Ellen for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're wrapping up Book 6 with Casper. Harry Potter and the Sacred Text is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagr...
This week, Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Separation in Chapter 29 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss the relationship dynamics on display in this chapter, Hagrid’s advice, and the end of Harry’s time at Hogwarts! Throughout the episode we consider the question: what causes us to feel separate from others? Thank you to Bethany for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 30, The White Tomb, through the theme of Love with Matt Potts. -- It’s two sickles...
This week, Vanessa and special guest Hannah McGregor explore the theme of Apocalypse in Chapter 28 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Snape’s subtle display of care, Hagrid’s hut, and chaos as a liminal space! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how do we continue after an apocalyptic event? Thank you to Heather for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 29, The Phoenix Lament, through the theme of Separation with Casper ter Kuile. -- It’s two si...
This week, Vanessa and special guest Daniel Schroeder explore the theme of Helplessness in Chapter 27 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Harry’s immobilization, Dumbledore’s master plan, and Draco’s task! Throughout the episode we consider the question: when can a feeling of helplessness actually help force us to act? Thank you to Jerrica for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 28, Flight of the Prince, through the theme of Apocalypse with special guest Ha...
This week, Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Fear in Chapter 26 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Harry and Dumbledore’s opposite experiences of the cave, fear of the unknown, and Voldemort’s obstacle course! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how do we decide which fears are valid? Thank you to our anonymous listener for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 27, The Lightning-Struck Tower, through the theme of helplessness with special ...
This week, Vanessa and special guest Jolie Doggett explore the theme of Jealousy in Chapter 25 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Romilda Vane, the Prince’s gender, and Trelawney’s many admirers! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how can jealousy be useful information? Thank you to Chris for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 26, The Cave, through the theme of Fear with Casper ter Kuile. -- It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only five d...
This week, Vanessa and special guest Courtney Brown explore the theme of Impulsivity in Chapter 24 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Draco and Harry’s fight, Hermione’s “I told you so” moment, and the big kiss! Throughout the episode we consider the question: when is impulsivity fun and when is it harmful? Thank you to Julia for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 25, The Seer Overheard, through the theme of Jealousy with Jolie Doggett. -- It’s two sickle...
We'll be back with our regularly scheduled episodes on January 9th, but in the meantime we thought it would be fun to revisit Matt's first episode as a regular host. Happy Holidays! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every Christmas, we like to share a favorite poem. This year it's 'Snowy Night' by Mary Oliver. We'll be back with our regularly scheduled episodes on January 9th. Happy Holidays! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Ambivalence in Chapter 23 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Slughorn’s lesson, the splitting of souls, and Harry’s destiny! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how does our ambivalence still lead us to a choice? Thank you to Marissa for this week’s voicemail! We're off for the holidays but we'll be back in 2025 reading Chapter 24, Sectumsempra, through the theme of Impulsivity with Courtney Brown. -- It’s two sic...
Every once in a while we like to take a step back from our current chapter, and appreciate some overarching themes and important characters from the series. This week, Vanessa and special guest Jackson Bird are talking about the Marauders and some of their favorite moments from the friends throughout the series! -- It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only five dollars to join our Patreon for conversations every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue to ma...
Not Sorry has launched its first new podcast since 2020! Let's Ask Taylor Swift is co-hosted by Vanessa and podcaster, writer and cultural critic: Daniel Schroeder. In each episode Daniel and Vanessa will focus on one song from Taylor's discography, asking themselves, each other, and you— the audience— what it is about Taylor's music that resonates so much with fans. In our first season, every episode will look at the lead single from one of&nb...
This week, Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Failure in Chapter 22 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Harry’s lucky day, Ron’s apparition test, and Ernie’s potion! Throughout the episode we consider the question: when are success and failure out of our control? Thank you to Christine for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 23, Horcruxes, through the theme of Ambivalence with Matt Potts. -- It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only five dollars to j...
Patience: The Unknowable Room (Book 6, Chapter 21) This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Patience in Chapter 21 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Harry’s stakeout, Hermione’s new approach to Ron and Lavender, and the upcoming promise of Apparition! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how does patience reward us? Thank you to Elizabeth for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 22, After The Burial, through the theme of Failure with Ca...
This week, Vanessa and special guest Mauricio Bruce explore the theme of Possibility in Chapter 20 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Dumbledore’s memory of Voldemort, Harry’s quest, and Hermione and Ron’s reconciliation! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how can we hold space for a multitude of possibilities? Thank you to Serena for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 21, The Unknowable Room, through the theme of Patience with Matt Potts. -...
This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Rebellion in Chapter 19 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Snape and Dumbledore’s agreement, Dobby and Kreacher’s quarrel, and McLaggen’s big game! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how do we rebel in both big and small ways? Thank you to Travis for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 20, Lord Voldemort’s Request, through the theme of Possibility with special guest Mauricio Bruce. -- It’s two ...
This week, Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Discovery in Chapter 18 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Slughorn’s poisoned mead, Harry’s life saving bezoar, and Romilda Vane’s love potion! Throughout the episode we consider the question: are we always on some journey of discovery? Thank you to Auryn for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 19, Elf Tails, through the theme of Rebellion with Matt Potts. -- It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only fi...
This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Knowledge in Chapter 17 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Harry’s lesson with Dumbledore, early Slug Clubs, and Slughorn’s titular memory! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how do raw facts turn into knowledge? Thank you to Simone for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 18, Birthday Surprises, through the theme of Discovery with Casper ter Kuile. -- It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and...
This week, Vanessa and special guest Julia Argy explore the theme of Worthiness in Chapter 16 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss the value of peeling sprouts by hand, Percy’s Christmas, and Ron’s new necklace! Throughout the episode we consider the question: what are we weighing when we decide the worthiness of something? Thank you to Mo for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 17, A Sluggish Memory, through the theme of Knowledge with Matt Potts. -- It’s t...
This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Symbiosis in Chapter 15 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Slughorn’s exclusive holiday party, the ripple effect of Hermione and Ron’s tiff, and Draco’s plan! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how can we create symbiotic relationships that aren't just transactional? Thank you to Laura for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 16, A Very Frosty Christmas, through the theme of worthiness with Juli...
Every once in a while we like to take a step back from our current chapter, and appreciate some overarching themes and important characters from the series. This week, Vanessa and special guest Margaret H. Willison are talking about the idea of Drama and some of their favorite dramatic moments throughout the series! -- It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only five dollars to join our Patreon for conversations every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue t...
This week, Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Innocence in Chapter 14 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, featuring a charming opening story from friend of the pod Rosy Hosking! They discuss Ron’s first kiss, Hermione’s army of little birds, and the big Quidditch match! Throughout the episode we consider the question: when is innocence a gift, and when does it feel a little bit embarrassing? Thank you to Hannah for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 15, The Unbrea...
This week, Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Procrastination in Chapter 13 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Tom’s solo trip to Diagon Alley, Dumbledore’s choices, and Mrs. Cole’s orphanage! Throughout the episode we consider the question: when are we procrastinating and when are we prioritizing other values? Thank you to Ariel for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 14, Felix Felicis, through the theme of Innocence with Casper and special friend of...
We hope you enjoy this sneak peak into our Patreon content, where each month patrons receive a curated selection of bloopers from the last 4 episodes! If you enjoy our work, please consider signing up on our Patreon so we can continue to make this show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
This week, Matt and Jackson Bird explore the theme of Access in Chapter 12 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Slughorn’s exclusive club, Katie Bell’s curse, and Mundungus’s thievery! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how do we fight for access when we’ve been excluded? Thank you to Angela for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 13, The Secret Riddle, through the theme of Procrastination with Casper ter Kuile. -- It’s two sickles to join S.P....
We hope you enjoy this sneak peak into our Patreon content, where each week patrons receive a bonus discussion inspired by the chapter! In this mini ep from Chapter 10, Matt and Vanessa discuss whose memory they'd like to take a peek into. If you enjoy our work, please consider signing up on our Patreon so we can continue to make this show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Normalcy in Chapter 11 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss Hagrid’s grief, Ron’s tryout, and Slughorn’s continued pursuit of Harry! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how does despair manifest? Thank you to Alison for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 12, Silver and Opals, through the theme of Access with Jackson Bird. -- It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only two dollars to join our Patr...
This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Ambition in Chapter 10 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! They discuss the Half Blood Prince’s gender, Snape’s ambition, and Merope’s blossoming romance! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how do our ambitions shift over time? Thank you to Natalie for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 11, Hermione’s Helping Hand, through the theme of Despair with Matt Potts. -- It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only ...
