As much as we're intrigued by true crime, listening to a podcast doesn't have to mean streaming the gruesome details of a notorious murder directly into your ears. Plugging in your earbuds and focusing on a podcast can actually be a pretty meditative practice, and it can even be a spiritual experience if you choose the right podcast.
Of course, there's a huge range of faith- and spirituality-themed podcasts to choose from. There are ones for meditation and self-help, and ones which explicitly discuss the teachings of a mainstream religion. It can be daunting to know where to start, especially if you're relatively new to exploring that side of yourself.
Ahead, we've rounded up some of the best spiritual podcasts available for download now. Read on to find a show that just might enlighten you — or at least make your commute little more peaceful.
Host Jericho Mandybur takes a closer look at how women today are defining self-care and spirituality for themselves. Yes, that means that she discusses astrology and tarot cards, but Mandybur also dedicates episodes to wellness needs (like staying hydrated).
Subscribe if you're sick of hearing that your crystal collection and horoscope don't count as "spiritual."
Harry Potter and the Sacred Text
Co-hosts Casper ter Kuile and Vanessa Zoltan read all seven Harry Potter books chronologically and treat them in the same way one would the Bible, Torah, or Quran — like a sacred, religious text. Every episode, they recap a new chapter and derive a lesson in morality, faith, and kindness from it. If you were looking for an excuse to reread the series for the 100th time, this is it.
Subscribe if you need a side of pop culture to go with your spiritual lessons.
Writer, professor, and Spark My Muse host Lisa Colón DeLay posts a new episode once a week. Her longer episodes feature a conversation with an author, influencer, thinker, spiritual leader, or theologian about their work, while her shorter episodes consist of what she calls "Soul School Lessons," or reflections on heady subjects like success, creativity, consciousness, and emotional healing.
Subscribe if you want to expand your definition of "doing good" and apply it to your own life.
As the only public radio show with a specific focus on religion, Interfaith Voices tackles how we approach morality in the modern age by profiling leaders in various spiritual communities and discussing the news with attention to its religious applications and history.
Subscribe if you want to view current events and issues through the lens of mainstream religions.
Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations
Oprah Winfrey's guests on this interview-based podcast run the gamut, from Arianna Huffington to Deepak Chopra to RuPaul. In classic Oprah fashion, she doesn't shy away from diving deep and asking big questions during these conversations. In turn, her guests open and share their thoughts on life, happiness, and more.
Subscribe if you're open to trying on the perspectives of others.
Every episode, host Krista Tippett discusses matters of life, existence, and purpose with her guests. Sometimes these discussions take a religious turn, while other times Tippett sticks to human history. As heavy as these subjects sound, Tippett's conversations are never so abstract or philosophical that you come away scratching your head.
Subscribe if you want the feeling of staying up all night to talk in podcast form.
Co-hosts Ross Blocher and Carrie Poppy report on the fringes of spirituality and science, usually from the belly of the beast. One-off interview episodes aside, most episodes are multipart investigations into topics like the flat-earth movement, cleanse diets, scientology, or aliens.
Subscribe if your spiritual interests skew toward the esoteric.
Founder Noah Levine and his fellow teachers at the Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society record their live Dharma talks and meditations and post them at least once a week. Their informal delivery and accessible comparisons make this a great podcast for total newcomers to Buddhism.
Subscribe if you're curious how Buddhist principles and teachings can apply to everyday life.
Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers, the same women behind Pantsuit Politics, hash out their differing values when it comes to life, love, career, and family, in order to better understand what they have in common. You need only look at the title of this podcast to know that Holland and Silvers are more interested in the messy, whole picture than the neat and tidy summary of an issue.
Subscribe if you're tired of seeing the world in black and white.
As a psychotherapist and meditation teacher, Tara Brach, PhD, crafts talks and lectures that uniquely blend Eastern spiritual principles with a science-based understanding of how the mind works. What results are lessons that are simultaneously reflective and practical.
Subscribe if compassion is the key to getting in touch with your spiritual self.
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