Episodes
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The Origins of Spirit Boards/Ouija [History]
Do you have an experience with a Spirit Board/Ouija? While most have heard of a wild Ouija story from either a friend or seen it being used in horror movies - what some may not know that the Ouija has very unassuming origins. This week, Allison discusses the unexpected history of the spirit…
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Werewolves [Lore/True Crime]
Ahooooooooo Happy Halloween everybody! This week on O.O.T.A. Meg dives into the dark history behind European werewolf folklore. We uncover the heinously real criminal acts that were portrayed as supernatural atrocities committed by werewolves. Maybe sexy wolf is more of your speed? We touch on a...
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Spooky Travels [Hiatus Catch Up]
We are finally back after a longer than planned hiatus, friends, and just in time for spooky season! Meg and Allison catch up on some spooky travels and spooky events they went on separately during the podcast break and then chat about some "out of the average" media! **Trigger Warning - though...
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Out of the Average Media Review [July 2021]
We present to you our short and sweet Media Review Episode for July 2021! Note: We plan on taking a midsummer hiatus for the month of August. See you all in September. Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Time Stamps: Books: A Song of…
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Candle Cove [Creepy Pasta]
This week's episode covers a unique and interesting creepy pasta that influenced the first season of a Syfy tv show! Allison takes a little bit of time today to talk about Candle Cove, a fictional forum discussing a “forgotten” children’s tv show written by American webcartoonist Kris Straub on…
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Fox Sisters [Spiritualism/History]
This week Meg dives into the roots of the Spiritualism Movement in the United States- the Fox Sisters. We start by talking about the incident in 1848 New York which kicked off a career of celebrity mediumship for Maggie, Kate, and Leah Fox. Keep your ears and mind open, and let us know what you...
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Game Theory [Psych/Maths]
This week's topic for the pod is not quite "out of the average" but definitely interesting all the same. Allison goes over basic game theory to introduce Meghan to three well-known and puzzling game theory dilemmas: The Prisoner's Dilemma, the Volunteer's Dilemma, and the Traveler's Dilemma.…
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Out of the Average Media Review [June 2021]
*Explicit Content Mentioned* You guys know the drill. The fourth Friday of the month is our media episode! Check time stamps below to see what we are chatting about. Happy listening! Time Stamps Meg and Allison's Origin Story 3:11 Movies: Midsommar 7:27 Luca 17:00 Shows: Blood of Zeus 23:40...
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Summer Solstice [Traditions/History]
Happy summer y'all! The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is just a few days away from the release of this episode so we figured we'd go into a little bit of the history and practices of Midsummer! Stick around for the end of the episode as Allison treats us to a collective Oracle…
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Twin Flames [Theory]
Twin Flames - do we all have one? Or more importantly - do we all need one? This is potentially a more polarizing topic for the podcast this time around but why not!? While we have our own thoughts and opinions on twin flames, we actually were originally supposed to have a guest with us to chat...
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Haunted Lakes [Hauntings/Local Lore]
While there is definitely something so healing about being around huge bodies of water, under the depth, some lakes can hold some spooky secrets. This episode, we are chatting about two different lakes: Lake Lanier in North Georgia and Long Island's very own Lake Ronkonkoma. Recorded and Edited…
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Out of the Average Media Review [May 2021]
Happy Fourth Friday of the Month! We have three items on the agenda for May 2021's media episode! Check out time stamps below to see what we are tackling. Happy listening! Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovksy. Music Credits to Michael Vontas. Time Stamps: Movies: Things Seen...
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Tulpas and Thought-forms [Mysticism]
Have you ever heard of a tulpa before? Or perhaps have you made one? This week Meghan gives the lowdown on what exactly a tulpa is - a concept steeped in Tibetan Buddhist theology, adapted by Theosophists in the early 20th century, and reshaped once again through the forums of Reddit. Join Meg,...
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Haunted Dolls [Hauntings/Oddities]
If you're a fan of any kind of spooky media, surely you've heard of a haunted doll before. This week Meg and Allison go into the true stories behind a few of the most well known possessed dolls that you may have seen. Check it out and let us know what you think! Sources:...
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Red String of Fate [Chinese/East Asian Mythology]
Could there possibly be in an invisible string connecting us to others - potentially in this case, the one we are destined to be with? This week, Allison introduces the concept as well as a few original myths of the "Red String of Fate," that originates from Chinese mythology and can still be…
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Out of the Average Media Review [April 2021]
Happy Fourth Friday of the Month! Check the time stamps below to see what media we consumed this month. Happy listening! Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music credits to Michael Vontas. Time Stamps: Books: The Silent Companions 00:44 Television: Yu Yu Hakusho 12:12…
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The Witchcraft Trial of Goody Garlick [History]
Did you know that Long Island had its own local witch trial, one that took place almost 35 years before those in Salem? This week Meg tells Allison all about the witchcraft trial of Goody Garlick of East Hampton. Take a listen and let us know what you think! Sources:...
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Liminality [General Discussion]
The second of two episodes released this week! Meghan and Allison discuss the concept of liminality for the first time on the pod. What do you immediately think of when you hear the word "liminality"? Is it more concrete or more supernatural to you? In a fairly conversational, non-researched...
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Hilaria [History/Mythology w/ guest Melissa Pavlovsky]
Hey everybody! Here's a freshly recorded retake of an episode we tried to get out for you guys last week. This week, Meghan tells Allison and guest Melissa about a possible origin of April Fool's Day, centered around an ancient Roman festival for the Goddess Cybele. Take a listen and let us know...
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Out of the Average Media Review [March 2021]
It's the fourth Friday of the month so hello media episode!! You can check out what we talked about and when by checking out the time stamps below. Happy Friday and happy listening! Video Games: Paradise Killer 1:00 T.V.: The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. 12:33 Movies: Tenet 18:25 Unacknowledged 27:13
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Pythagorean Numerology
Did you know you could calculate the numbers of your birthday and name to uncover different parts of your path and personality? Piggybacking off of last week's episode about our main man, Pythagoras, we are diving into some Chaldean and Pythagorean numerology, which sets the basis for popular...
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Pythagoras and his "Cult" [History]
Throwback to mentioning Pythagoras in our episode "Cults, Crackers, and Cornflakes" - we are releasing a whole episode on (potentially?) our favorite "semi-divine" mathematician. There is a lot more mysticism and suspicion around Pythagoras than just the famous "Pythagorean Theorem" (and there…
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Flannan Isles Lighthouse Mystery [History/Mystery]
This week we have a short and (not so) sweet episode about a mysterious disappearance across the pond in the Outer Hebrides. Meg tells Allison about the story of three lighthouse keepers who vanished without a trace in 1900. Take a listen and let us know what you think! Recorded and Edited by...
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Out of the Average Media Review [Feb 2021]
Happy Fourth Friday of the Month (oops...we broke the rule last month!) - we present to you our Out of the Average Media episode of February. Below are timestamps so you can see what we are talking about and featuring in this episode! Apps: Randonautica Experience 0:45 CE5 App 7:50 Documentary:...
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Growing through Dreams [w/ guest Jamie Schumann]
*Trigger Warning: Death and Grief, Sex. We love guest episodes! Jamie Schumann joins us this episode to chat about her work as a budding breathwork practitioner in her business, Inner Collective Garden. While on the pod, we talked about dreams and dream symbolism, astral projecting, and how...
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Cupid and Psyche [OOTA Anniversary]
On Valentine's Day, Out of the Average will have officially reached its one year anniversary!! How exciting! And we decided that what better way to commemorate the holiday, as well as our anniversary, than a love story!!! The Story of Cupid (Eros?) and Psyche to be exact! This might be a…
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Cults, Crackers, and Cornflakes [History/Food]
Warning: Contains some explicit content. Cults, crackers, and cornflakes, oh my! This week Meg dives into the weird history behind a few popular food items in the U.S. - Celestial Seasonings, graham crackers, and cornflake cereal. These seemingly innocuous foodstuffs have rather peculiar creation...
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Out of the Average Media Review [January 2021]
It’s that time of the month where Meghan and Allison take a dive into the out of the average media they've consumed and boy, do they have an episode for you! First they give a Baba Yaga call back in some media that cropped up, then they touch on some thought provoking concepts like the idea of...
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Sleep Paralysis [w/ guest Melissa Pavlovsky]
Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? Meghan certainly has, and this week she dives into the limited science behind the phenomenon as well as some cultural beliefs associated with it as well. We also have a very special guest - Melissa Pavlovsky, Meghan's twin! The two of them describe their...
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Baba Yaga [Slavic Folklore]
This week, Allison covers the ambiguous mythological figure of Baba Yaga from Slavic Folklore. She's been seen and depicted in multiple different kinds of media, although is she really as "wicked" as they say? Allison explains where she had come to learn of Baba Yaga, briefly described her...
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Welcome 2021! [General Discussion]
We missed you guys for the last two weeks! We take the first episode of 2021 to catch up with each other! Some topics to note are breathwork, The Great Conjunction that happened on December 21st, and Meghan's bonkers alternate reality shifting (?) potentially time traveling (?) dream! Recorded...
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That's a Wrap [Folklore/History]
That's a wrap on 2020. This is the last O.O.T.A. episode of 2020 and we can't believe it! Meg starts off the episode chatting about the history behind the tradition of the classic Christmas tree, and later on we chat about the mischievous Yule Lads and their forbidding mother Gryla on a little…
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Gods, Goddesses, and Squid Monsters [w/ guest Tiffany - Priestess Theophania]
This week, we bring an amazing guest onto the pod! Tiffany, also known as Priestess Theophania on Instagram, joins us via remote recording to talk about her experience and work as a channel. She shares some crazy stories about her channeling, introduces some of the gods and goddesses she loves...
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Presence and Mistletoe [Mythology]
Meghan and Allison are back remotely recording to bring you a new episode this week! Meghan begins the episode by explaining a ghost tour she went on in Arizona and then Allison talks about the mythology around one of the most iconic holiday plants - Mistletoe! Where do you think all those…
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Out of the Average Media Review [November 2020]
Allison takes on the podcast herself this week to discuss a birthday present she bought for herself, some favorite book series, and some November Netflix goodies. Time Stamps Astrology 0:45 Books: *Percy Jackson Universe 8:15 *Arc of a Sycthe Series 15:45 Visual Media: *Secrets of the Saqqara…
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Nicolas Flamel [Man or Myth?]
This week, Allison introduces the renowned alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, to the podcast....but was he ever really an alchemist at all? You may recognize his name from a popular book series or two, but Nicolas Flamel was indeed a real man! Let's dive in to some things we know about his legendary…
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Izanagi and Izanami [Japanese Mythology]
This week, Allison teaches Meghan the myth of Izanagi and Izanami, also known as the Japanese Creation Myth! Though it's own mythology based in Shintoism, there are quite a few similarities to two very well-known Greek myths. Can you tell which ones before we get to it? Happy listening. Recorded...
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Halloween 2020
Happy (almost) Halloween, friends! We decided to put together a short and sweet little episode to express our love for the holiday - including discussing a little trip we took (safely of course!), some older pagan traditions that have shifted but still show themselves in our modern day Halloween,...
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Out of the Average Media Review [October 2020]
Happy fourth Friday of the month! Spooky season is upon us...and thus enters our October 2020 Media episode where we dive into the spooky events, Netflix shows, and books we consumed this month. As always, we try to keep our thoughts spoiler-free, but below you will find all the things we cover...
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Feminine Frankenstein [Literature/History]
Spooky season continues, and this week we touch on the story behind a classic horror tale: Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus, by Mary Shelley. Seen as the first scientific fiction story, Meg goes into the possible influences behind the tale including Germany’s Frankenstein castle and the...
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Béla Kiss [True Crime]
Truthfully, in our opinion, no gremlins, goblins, or ghosts will ever be scarier than humans. We are kicking off spooky season with a chilling true crime tale that extends from Hungary to NYC that potentially could have a supernatural twist. Let us know what you think at our website...
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Ley Lines [Theory]
This week on O.O.T.A.: ley lines. After talking (read: gushing) about The Raven Boys in our media episode, we decided to pluck out one of the main topics of the book and do a little deep dive on it. We talk about the scientific and supernatural connotations of ley lines, how the idea came into...
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Out of the Average Media Review [September 2020]
Let's face it...we consume a lot of media, so we decided to make a monthly episode released on the fourth Friday of each month dedicated to all the "out of the average" books, movies, shows, events, etc. we had encountered throughout our month. Below are all the media we consumed this September…
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Dreams [Discussion]
This week we talk about manifesting Chris Evans into our lives.... just kidding (kind of). Allison and Meg dive into the dream realm, what our dreams can mean for our immediate future, as well as what place they hold in our general psyche. Allison shares with us a profound dream she recently had...
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The Hill Abduction [Aliens] w/ guest Melissa Pavlovsky
For our first episode featuring an alien abduction, we figured we'd go to the first alien abduction story ever reported: the Hill abduction. This week Meg covers the baffling story of Betty and Barney Hill who claimed to have been abducted by aliens in New Hampshire in 1961. Allison and this…
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Starseeds [Introduction and Races]
Do you see yourself living among the stars or at least do you believe you used to? If you don't even know what starseeds are, we got you covered this episode! Allison does her best to explain the metaphysical concept and then goes through a myriad of different starseeds races and traits. Orion,...
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Monkey’s Paw [Short Story]
Hey friends, have you ever heard of "The Monkey's Paw"? No? Well, neither did Meghan! This week, Allison reads a spooky short cautionary tale story written in the early 1900's and boy, is it eerie. Be careful what you wish for. Recorded and Edited by Allison Varca and Meghan Pavlovsky. Music...
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Tea for Two [Superstitions/Tasseomancy]
Two for tea and tea for two, Meghan and Allison share some (mostly English) tea superstitions found while doing a deep dive on finding out what it means to spill a cup of tea (nothing apparently). Afterwards, we both try our hand at reading tea leaves. Pictures of the tea leaf session can be…
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Toilet Dreams [National Twin Day]
August 7th is National Twin Day, so how perfect is it that Meghan just happens to be a twin? Meghan invites her sister, Melissa, to come on the podcast for a free-flowing episode to chat about their twin experiences. They chat about and demonstrate their twin speak and sometimes they have the…
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Past Lives Update
This week, we are bringing a special update! For reference, check out Past Lives Part One before you jump into this one for a little more background knowledge and information. Meghan talks about her first experience ever doing a past life regression (literally the day before recording!) and…
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