Harry Potter and the Sacred Text

This week, Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Apathy in Chapter Four of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! They discuss the physical integrity of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, all caps Harry, and the Weasley siblings' approach to delicate situations. Throughout the episode we consider the question: what emotions are hiding beneath our apathy?Thank you to Andee for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 5, The Order of the Phoenix, with Matt through the theme of Comparison.HPST is made possible in part by ads and sponsorships! We're currently running a survey to help us better understand our audience, if you're looking for a free way to help us continue making this podcast please consider filling out the quick survey here.--It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only two dollars to join our Patreon for extra bloopers every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault 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 Deception in Chapter Three of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! They discuss the Dursley's fake lawn care award, Moody's suspicions, and the Order's chosen method of transportation. Throughout the episode we consider the question: when is a little bit of deception helpful?Thank you to Emily for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 4, Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, with Casper through the theme of Apathy.HPST is made possible in part by ads and sponsorships! We're currently running a survey to help us better understand our audience, if you're looking for a free way to help us continue making this podcast please consider filling out the quick survey here.--It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only two dollars to join our Patreon for extra bloopers every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue to make this show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Vanessa and special guest (and friend) Micaela Blei explore the theme of Friendship in Chapter Two of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! They discuss Arthur's role in Harry's life, Petunia's howler, and the object permanence issues we sometimes face with our friendships. Throughout the episode we consider the question: how can we better support our friends?Thank you to Martha for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 3, The Advance Guard, through the theme of Deception.Learn more about our upcoming What Matters course, and Micaela's role at Not Sorry here!HPST is made possible in part by ads and sponsorships! We're currently running a survey to help us better understand our audience, if you're looking for a free way to help us continue making this podcast please consider filling out the quick survey here.--It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only two dollars to join our Patreon for extra bloopers every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue to make this show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back for Season 5! This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Dreaming in Chapter One of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! They discuss Harry's literal dream which is overheard by Dudley, Mrs. Figg's big reveal, and the Proto-Germanic roots of dreaming. Throughout the episode we consider the question: how do our dreams impact our lived realities?Thank you to Erin for this week’s voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 2, A Peck of Owls, with special guest Micaela Blei through the theme of Friendship!Want to learn more about Micaela and her work at Not Sorry before next week's episode? Click here!HPST is made possible in part by ads and sponsorships! We're currently running a survey to help us better understand our audience, if you're looking for a free way to help us continue making this podcast please consider filling out the quick survey here.--It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only two dollars to join our Patreon for extra bloopers every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue to make this show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're taking this week off between seasons, so we're re-releasing one of our favorite Women of Harry Potter episodes. This episode feature the wonderful Kathy Tu as she blesses one of our favorite characters from Book 5, Cho Chang!We'll be back next week with Book 5 Chapter 1, Dudley Demented, through the theme of Dreaming.--It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only two dollars to join our Patreon for extra bloopers every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue to make this show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're continuing our collaboration with The Greater Good Science Center, examining the theme of Intellectual Humility as Vanessa and Matt look back at key moments from The Goblet of Fire! They discuss Dumbledore's weak points, new cultures at Hogwarts, and the help each champion received during the tournament tasks. We're taking a quick break, but will be back in two weeks to discuss Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!--It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only two dollars to join our Patreon for extra bloopers every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue to make this show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Vanessa is joined for a special bonus conversation by Micaela Blei! Micaela is a talented storyteller, story editor and educator, and also one of our faculty members for our upcoming What Matters class. Together, they discuss the art of storytelling, the sacred relationship between storyteller and audience, and some favorite moments from our last What Matters class. You can learn more about What Matters, and sign up, on our website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vanessa and Matt wrap up their their discussion of The Goblet of Fire with a look back on the entire book! They discuss the failures of the administration at Hogwarts, Harry's relationship with the adults around him, and Weasley family dynamics. Next week we're bringing you a special episode diving deeper into the theme of Intellectual Humility in The Goblet of Fire!--It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only two dollars to join our Patreon for extra bloopers every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue to make this show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Sophie provides a touching voicemail reflection as Vanessa and Matt dive into Chapter 37 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. They discuss the powerful theme of love, focusing on Harry's poignant interactions with the Diggory family and the Weasley twins. The conversation shifts to Dumbledore's respectful commemoration of Cedric's memory, prompting deep questions about how we honor those we've lost. The essence of selfless love surfaces, exploring the delicate balance of gratitude and grief in our relationships.

This week, Vanessa and Matt explore the theme of Teamwork in Chapter Thirty-Six of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! They discuss Snape as a collaborator, Fudge's use of the Dementors, and the distinction between teamwork and allyship. Throughout the episode we consider the question: what are the components of a cohesive team? Thank you to Batul for their voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 37, The Beginning, through the theme of Love.--It’s two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only two dollars to join our Patreon for extra bloopers every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue to make this show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.