The Emerald podcast

The Emerald

The Emerald explores the human experience through a vibrant lens of myth, story, and imagination. Brought to life through the wise, wild, and humorous vision of Joshua Michael Schrei — a teacher and lifelong student of the cosmologies and mythologies of the world — the podcast draws from a deep well of poetry, lore, and mythos to challenge conventional narratives on politics and public discourse, meditation and mindfulness, art, science, literature, and more. At the heart of the podcast is the premise that the imaginative, poetic, animate heart of human experience — elucidated by so many cultures over so many thousands of years — is missing in modern discourse and is urgently needed at a time when humanity is facing unprecedented problems. The Emerald advocates for an imaginative vision of human life and human discourse as it questions deep underlying assumptions about societal progress.

The Emerald explores the human experience through a vibrant lens of myth, story, and imagination. Brought to life through the wise, wild, and humorous vision of Joshua Michael Schrei — a teacher and lifelong student of the cosmologies and mythologies of the world — the podcast draws from a deep well of poetry, lore, and mythos to challenge conventional narratives on politics and public discourse, meditation and mindfulness, art, science, literature, and more. At the heart of the podcast is the premise that the imaginative, poetic, animate heart of human experience — elucidated by so many cultures over so many thousands of years — is missing in modern discourse and is urgently needed at a time when humanity is facing unprecedented problems. The Emerald advocates for an imaginative vision of human life and human discourse as it questions deep underlying assumptions about societal progress.

 

#95

Carry That Weight: On Mythic Burdens and Cosmic Supports

There is a weight to modern existence — perhaps you've felt it. In a world in which social... more

12 Nov 2025

2 HR 16 MINS

2:16:08

12 Nov 2025


#94

I Think I Hear the Coming of a Planetary Roar (with Louder Music)

In times of rising frustration over the state of nations, times of personal, ecological, s... more

07 Sep 2025

2 HR 06 MINS

2:06:26

07 Sep 2025


#93

I Think I Hear the Coming of a Planetary Roar

In times of rising frustration over the state of nations, times of personal, ecological, s... more

30 Aug 2025

2 HR 06 MINS

2:06:26

30 Aug 2025


#92

On Powers, Great and Small

POWER is on the mind these days, as the world grapples with shifting global power dynamics... more

16 Jun 2025

2 HR 06 MINS

2:06:01

16 Jun 2025


#91

Trickster Jumps Sides (Re-Issued for Tricky Times)

Tricksters and culture disruptors populate global mythology. From Loki to Coyote to Èṣù an... more

02 Apr 2025

1 HR 14 MINS

1:14:31

02 Apr 2025


#90

On Singing to the Beloved in Times of Crisis

We live in times of individual, sociocultural and planetary crisis, exacerbated by rising ... more

27 Feb 2025

2 HR 07 MINS

2:07:38

27 Feb 2025


#89

For the Divine Mother of the Universe (Remixed and Reissued)

There’s a lot of cultural clutter these days around 'The Goddess.' She appears everywhere,... more

01 Jan 2025

1 HR 38 MINS

1:38:48

01 Jan 2025


#88

This Episode is FIRE

In the deepest, oldest caverns of human memory, a fire burns... and that fire has been wit... more

03 Nov 2024

1 HR 50 MINS

1:50:45

03 Nov 2024


#87

(Why Mindfulness Isn't Enough)

In recent years, the practice of 'mindfulness' has become ubiquitous. Mindfulness has outg... more

01 Oct 2024

1 HR 35 MINS

1:35:54

01 Oct 2024


#86

Guardians and Protectors!

Practices of guardianship — invoking guardian deities, enlisting spirit help, clearing spa... more

02 Sep 2024

2 HR 31 MINS

2:31:46

02 Sep 2024


#85

Let Us Sing of the Syncretic Gods of Outcasts and Wanderers

The story of human ritual and cultural tradition is one of depth and deep connection to la... more

24 May 2024

2 HR 11 MINS

2:11:37

24 May 2024


#84

On Clouds and Cosmic Law

In the modern world, words like 'law' and 'order' carry with them a good deal of sociocult... more

09 Apr 2024

1 HR 58 MINS

1:58:12

09 Apr 2024


#83

Oh Justice

In times of global upheaval, ecological destruction, and societal inequity, justice can se... more

03 Mar 2024

3 HR 18 MINS

3:18:51

03 Mar 2024


#82

For the Intuitives (Part 2)

Across the globe, the arrival of 'civilization' brought with it the persecution of the see... more

31 Dec 2023

1 HR 58 MINS

1:58:57

31 Dec 2023


#81

For the Intuitives (Part 1)

Across cultures and traditions, there have always been those that speak with the dead, hea... more

21 Nov 2023

1 HR 37 MINS

1:37:05

21 Nov 2023