Superstitions - podcast cover

Superstitions

Parcast Networkwww.parcast.com
Every Wednesday, meet us at the intersection of chaos and fate. We’ll briefly explore the origins of some of history’s most well-known superstitions. Then, we’ll dive into a fictional story that illustrates what might happen if you fail to adhere to these strange beliefs. Can we truly sway supernatural forces to work in our favor? Or are these eerie codes of conduct simply about exerting control in an unpredictable world? Superstitions is a Spotify Original from Parcast.
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Episodes

666

It’s all come to this…. In the year 2066, the apocalypse is upon us. It begins with a house fire, and ends with a coven of witches battling for their lives against a militarized Witch Hunt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 18, 202249 min

William McKinley’s Red Carnation

It doesn’t matter if you’re the president of the United States or the president of your student body class. Every politician needs a good luck charm. Once you have one, hold onto it — because giving it away can cost you everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 11, 202242 min

Throwing Back the First Catch

The conditions are perfect, the fish are biting, and the catch of the day is just one cast away. Just remember what your grandpa told you about respecting the lake. Otherwise your fortunes might pull a real bait and switch… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 04, 202239 min

The Curse of the Colonel

Was a baseball team in Japan cursed by the KFC mascot? In today’s story, a young baseball player in Osaka resolves to undo the curse, and meets a mighty river kami in the process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 27, 202239 min

The Queen’s Superstitions

In the British monarchy, some superstitions still reign supreme… With her coronation day ahead of her, and a royal wedding soon after, Alix can’t help but feel the weight of ancient omens even as she tries to modernize the monarchy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 20, 202239 min

Christening Ships

Weigh anchor and pop the bubbly! Today’s superstition is a nautical drinking tradition: Toasting a ship’s maiden voyage with champagne can appease fickle sea gods, and ensure safe passage. But bad luck awaits if you scoff at tradition… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 13, 202240 min

The Curse of the San Francisco Giants

After the Giants moved from New York to San Francisco, they suffered a losing streak that lasted over half a century. Some fans believe a curse was to blame, and that an old plaque once lost to time was at the center of it… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 06, 202232 min

Mirror in the Bedroom

In feng shui, a bedroom mirror doesn’t simply reflect its surroundings. It responds to the energy you put into it. And in today’s story, an influencer’s boyfriend discovers what can happen when you play with ancient magic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 30, 202238 min

The Cheese of the Dead

If you’re a fan of cheese, you might say “cheese is life.” But one Swiss tradition takes it a step further… “Le fromage des morts” is meant to be a legacy of sorts. It’s a wedding gift meant to last a lifetime. But in today’s story, an ambitious banker bucks tradition… with rotten consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 23, 202240 min

The Ides of March

Ever since Julius Caesar allegedly ignored warnings about the 15th of March, that date has been doomed. In today’s story, a vogue ballroom competition — not the Roman Senate — sets the scene for a legendary showdown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 16, 202239 min

The Murray State Shoe Tree

Students at this Kentucky university partake in a tradition meant to bring good luck. But in today’s story, one impassioned professor doesn’t quite get it — and undoes the work of generations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 09, 202236 min

The Royal Touch

They say that French royals had a special gift bestowed by the divine. Anointed with holy oil, they could change a person’s life with just one touch. But as Remy is about to find out, with a royal touch… comes royal responsibility. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 02, 202239 min

Astrology of Love: Karmic Nodes

In our final look at star-crossed lovers, Daisy is a gardener who likes following rules. She can read the soil just as well as she can interpret a star chart. But it turns out that even the most grounded among us can be swept off their feet, with a little help from intuition… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 23, 202237 min

Astrology of Love: Moon Signs

Your moon sign reflects the deepest, most hidden part of yourself. Hidden even, sometimes, from your own understanding. Today’s couple seemed to be a perfect match. But only too late did they realize why they were doomed from the start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 16, 202231 min

Astrology of Love: Rising Signs

There’s something a little mysterious about first impressions. Those indelible first seconds with a new acquaintance can be delicious… or disastrous. In today’s story, can two musicians with incredible chemistry keep the heat of their first spark? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 09, 202233 min

Astrology of Love: Sun Signs

Is the fate of our love lives written in the stars? This month, we’re telling the stories of four astrologically interesting couples, exploring the best and worst matches in the Zodiac. Starting with 11-year-old August, a Pisces and hopeless romantic desperate to find love at summer camp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 02, 202243 min

Setting Keys on a Table

If you lose your keys, it might be chalked up to bad luck. But in Sweden, you can get worse luck if you set your keys on the table. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 19, 202232 min

Rats Abandoning Ship

Some believe rats contain souls of the dead. Others believe that where there are rats, there is death. Either way, if you see these rodents abandoning a ship, you may want to consider joining them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 12, 202237 min

Breaking a Mirror

Mirrors are said to reflect not only your physical appearance, but your soul as well. In today’s episode, a physical trainer confronts himself in a special mirror… and changes his life for seven years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 05, 202244 min

Charles Dickens' Superstitions

For our last episode of the year, we'll tell you a Christmas Story. One about a famous author who had a very *particular* set of superstitions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 15, 202145 min

Exchanging Cursed Gifts

Today, you’re invited to a very special gift exchange… where cursed presents throw a party into chaos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 08, 202141 min

The Wizard of Oz Production Curse

From poisonous makeup to drug-addled stars, the set of the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" was rife with misfortune. Rumors said that a curse had settled over the production, which has affected every version of the Wizard of Oz made after it. In today's episode, an ambitious director pushes his students too far and discovers how real the curse can be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 01, 202145 min

Full Moons

For thousands of years, our ancestors have looked to the sky for answers about the world around us. So when people go mad, it may not be their fault. Just ask the full moon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 17, 202141 min

Vampire Panic

Bloodsucking fiends appear in the folklore of every culture on the planet. But for some, they were more than just horror stories. Today’s story comes from early 18th-century Europe. A doctor tries in vain to save lives, while a monster waits in the shadows… determined to see him fail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 10, 202139 min

Scottish Kale Divination

What if you could learn everything you needed to know about your one true love just by uprooting a stalk of kale? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 03, 202142 min

Season of the Witch: Witch's Sabbath

The final episode in our four-part series on witches. Our three young witches enjoy a magical retreat, and discover they all share a diabolical connection. When an innocent is threatened, they must band together before "Hell on Earth" becomes a reality. Season of the Witch is a special storytelling series across Parcast Network. Follow Tales and Haunted Places to find more spooky stories and historical haunts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Oct 27, 202152 min

Season of the Witch: Broomsticks

Where did the association between witches and broomsticks come from? An au pair named Jia is about to find out. Season of the Witch is a special storytelling series across Parcast Network. Follow Tales and Haunted Places to find more spooky stories and historical haunts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 20, 202144 min

Season of the Witch: Familiars

They might take the form of innocent pets like cats, dogs, or toads. But familiars are far more than cute little witches’ companions. They’re demons from Hell — and they’re here to wreak havoc. Season of the Witch is a special storytelling series across Parcast Network. Follow Tales and Haunted Places to find more spooky stories and historical haunts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Oct 13, 202141 min

Season of the Witch: The Witch’s Mark

It’s a strange blemish that can take many forms, but always says the same thing: this woman has been touched by the Devil. When Sadie gets a mark of her own, she’s thrust into a world of witchcraft and power. Season of the Witch is a special storytelling series across Parcast Network. Follow Tales and Haunted Places to find more spooky stories and historical haunts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Oct 06, 202152 min

Going Home After a Funeral

In the Philippines, Pagpag means “to shake off dust or dirt.” The belief is that you should not go straight home after a funeral or a wake, lest an evil spirit attach themselves to you and follow you home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 29, 202136 min
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