Welcome back! We’ve been pretty quiet around here lately, but we’re really excited to launch our NEW SERIES. For the next month-or-so, we’ll be focusing solely on topics that relate to the “Cult of Wellness”. Jump into this episode to find out

Religion in NBC’s Manifest

May 26th, 2022 54m 56s

Join Steph & Rachel after a looooong hiatus to go in-depth on religion in NBC (& Netflix’s) Manifest. We get into religious representation in the media, including the portrayal of cults and New Religious Movements, and the lifeboat and if it’s

Religion, Ritual, and Reality TV

Sep 13th, 2021 37m 35s

Do you love reality TV, or do you love to hate it? This week, Rachel is joined by two friends, Grace and Fiona, to gossip about the relationship between reality TV, ritual and religion. Using examples from The Bachelor, Love Island, and Drag Ra

Religious Experience & Altered States of Consciousness

Aug 16th, 2021 1h 14m

This week we dive head-first into different types of religious experience when it comes to consciousness. We chat ASCs, Trance, and Mysticism, while trying to understand the difference between the three types of experience. We also talk a lot a

In The News: July Edition

Jul 28th, 2021 59m 24s

We’re back with another monthly installment of our “In The News” episode. This week, we chat about a wide range of topics including; the psychology of religion and how religion is studied in the brain, the ethics of AI, and Islamophobia in Cana

Muslims in Canada with Faezeh Izadi

Jul 20th, 2021 35m 24s

Join Rachel and Jacqueline for a special interview with Faezeh Izadi about Muslims in Canada. Faezeh is an International Ph.D. student of Religious Studies at the University of Calgary, originally from Iran. She got her bachelor’s degree in ind

Religion and Group Identity in The 100 (Part 2)

Jul 12th, 2021 58m 8s

Welcome to the 2nd episode in our series on CW’s hit show, The 100! If you haven’t listened to the first episode yet, check it out here! And if you haven’t seen Season 1 of The 100, then we recommend watching it before you dive into this episod

Yoga Beyond the Binary with Laura Chaignon

Jun 28th, 2021 59m 2s

Join your hosts, Steph and Rachel, for an interview with yoga teacher and practitioner Laura Chaignon. We get deep into gender binary language in yoga (and elsewhere) and chat about the effect of the western lens on yoga, gendered language, and

Religion, Spirituality, and Apocalypticism in The 100 (Part 1)

Jun 21st, 2021 35m 46s

Welcome to the first of a special 2-part episode on the hit CW show “The 100”. The show originally premiered in 2014 and ran for seven seasons – but today, we’re only getting into the first season. Of course, there are some spoilers, so feel f

The Co-option of Religious Symbols & the History of COEXIST

Jun 14th, 2021 47m 50s

This week, jump in with Rachel and Steph while they talk about different religious symbols being taken from their original meaning and used in either dangerous ways or just taken out of context. We also get pretty deep into the COEXIST bumper s

In The News – June 2021

Jun 7th, 2021 49m 42s

After weeks of recording snags (long distance podcasting is hard!) we’re back! This week it’s the June edition of “In The News”. Join ALL THREE of your hosts (for the first time in months) while we try to stay on topic about the blood flower su

Matriarchal Religions

May 10th, 2021 40m 38s

Where do women fit in the world of modern spiritualities and religions? What exactly does it mean for a religion to be matriarchal? In honour of Mother’s Day, Steph and Rachel chat about matriarchal religions, the Goddess movement, and a whole

In The News: May 2021

May 3rd, 2021 47m 51s

We’re back (well…Steph and Rachel are! Jacqueline will be soon!). Join us while we catch up on what’s been happening in the news. We give some background about Quebec’s Bill 21 and the most recent ruling. We also chat about Peloton’s religiousl

Manifestation and The Law of Attraction: What is it and does it really work?

Mar 22nd, 2021 1h 9m

Join your three hosts this week to talk all about the latest trend – manifestation and the Law of Attraction. We go into the history of the practice, all the way back to the dawn of the New Thought and New Age movements. Then we chat about how

St. Patrick: the fancy and historical Saint

Mar 15th, 2021 58m 44s

Happy St. Patricks’ Day everyone! Celebrate with us by learning all about the history and mythology behind the St. Patrick we know (and drink to) today. Also, make sure you take Jacqueline’s leprechaun quiz along with us!

Orientalism in Movies

Mar 1st, 2021 54m 28s

This week join your hosts while they talk about different ways Orientalism has creeped into pop-culture for the past few centuries. They chat Mulan, Freaky Friday, and Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone. Find the episode anywhere you get you

Cults & Charismatic Leaders

Feb 22nd, 2021 49m 30s

Ever wonder what it is about cult leaders that draw people to them? This week, join your hosts Rachel, Steph, and Jacqueline as they dive deep into the charismatic leader and what makes people so willing to follow them, even when their ideas mi

Pancake Tuesday & a Casual Catch-Up with the Hosts

Feb 15th, 2021 46m 55s

This week, join all three of your hosts while they have some pancakes and catch up! We talk a bit about the history of pancake Tuesday – and then get into what we’ve been up to lately, some awesome episodes to look forward to for the spring sea

Religion in Diet Culture

Feb 8th, 2021 54m 57s

This week, join Rachel and Steph as they discuss all things eating and not-eating and how it relates to religion. They give some historical examples of fasting and other ascetic practices, but also get into the religious language we use surroun

The Feminist Fire of Celtic Christianity: A History and Storytelling of St Brigid

Feb 1st, 2021 1h 11m

Join Steph and Jacqueline while they give you a ton of history on the beginning of Celtic Christianity and the history and contemporary relevance of St Brigid! And for an added surprise (like when St Brigid turns water into Ale, or when Jesus t

The Mindful Enneagram: An Interview with Steve Van Kleeck

Jan 25th, 2021 50m

We’re baaaack! After an extended break from lockdowns and holidays and all things, we’re here with an all-new Enneagram themed episode! Before the holidays, we interviewed Enneagram coach Steve Van Kleeck about his practice called The Mindful E

Is Christmas Religious?

Dec 7th, 2020 49m 34s

This week, the hosts gather around eggnog lattes and hallmark movies (and some other classics) and chat about all things festive, Christmas, and holiday-esque. After getting nostalgic about their own traditions, they question; is Christmas a re

Singing Together: An Interview with Rev. Wendy Luella Perkins

Nov 30th, 2020 59m 32s

This week on Nearly Numinous, Steph interviews Reverend Wendy Luella Perkins, a chaplain at Queen’s University. They chat about her Soulful Singing meditation practice, and the importance of singing together in community with others.Find us on

The Enneagram Personality Test

Nov 23rd, 2020 1h 2m

This week, the hosts talk all about the enneagram personality test. They chat about what each type is, the history of the test, and get into how it’s used in spiritual growth and development circles. They also have short clips from listeners ab

Stigmata, Sainthood, and the Catholic Church with Sam Maclennan

Nov 16th, 2020 58m 44s

This week we chat with fellow MA graduate, Sam Maclennan, all about his research – and some other semi-related topics. We chat stigmata, the canonization of saints, and the idea of “healthy” religious practices and if those labels are detriment