Ritually

Introducing: Ritually

What role do spiritual and wellness rituals play in our fast-paced, secular world? Join journalist-turned-guinea pig Nelufar Hedayat as she tries a new ritual in every episode. From following the Muslim call to prayer to sacred readings of Harry Potter, Nelufar dives in with the help of a different spiritual guide each week to see if these practices can actually make us feel better.Coming July 10 from Brazen Media, wherever you get your podcasts. For more, check out www.ritually.fm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/join-plus/

Episode 1: A Feminist Call to Prayer

As a progressive Muslim woman, Nelufar struggles with patriarchal interpretations of Islam and the constraints of organized religion. So with the help of feminist spiritual practitioner Sarah Zaltash, she tries a new ritual to deepen her connection to Islam: following the daily call to prayer. It’s a practice that unites 1.8 billion Muslims around the world. But this version is different — radical, actually! — because it’s in a woman’s voice. Will waking up at dawn every day to hear Beloved Sarah’s call help Nelufar feel more connected to Islam? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/join-plus/

Episode 2: An Exorcism to End Nightmares

When Nelufar is haunted by violent, terrifying dreams, her parents step in with a series of Afghan pagan rituals to cleanse her energy and ward off evil. With their help, and some added perspective from mystic Jewish priestess and dreamwork scholar Rabbi Jill Hammer, will Nelufar finally be able to tackle her nighttime demons?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/join-plus/

Bonus: How it All Started

Nelufar and Producer Sarah sit down to explain how this big spiritual quest all began — and how Ritually got its start during London’s COVID lockdown.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/join-plus/

Episode 3: A Sacred Text: Reading Harry Potter

What makes a text sacred? And can our favorite secular books become as holy to us as the Quran or the Bible? With the help of Vanessa Zoltan, an atheist chaplain and co-creator of the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, Nelufar and Producer Sarah try out the ancient ritual of florilegia. It was used by medieval monks, and it’s a lot like keeping a quote journal. Will this practice help them create their own personalized sacred texts?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/join-plus/