Who Let the Banshee Out? Grief, Demons, and the Brain cover art

Who Let the Banshee Out? Grief, Demons, and the Brain

Who Let the Banshee Out? Grief, Demons, and the Brain

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In this episode, we dive into the Charmed season 3 episode “Look Who’s Barking” and use its banshee big bad as a portal into real‑world folklore and grief science. Drawing on Irish legends of the banshee as a messenger of death, we compare the show’s demonized version to the older stories that inspired it, then turn to psychology and neuroscience research to explore what actually happens in your brain and body when you’re grieving. Along the way, we talk about how popular culture reshapes myth, why the “inner cry” of pain resonates so strongly, and what current research suggests about living with loss.TRIGGER WARNING: Themes of death, grief, and loss, including real-world experiences of bereavement.Learn More: American Brain Foundation. (n.d.). How tragedy affects the brain. American Brain Foundation. https://www.americanbrainfoundation.org/how-tragedy-affects-the-brain/ American Heart Association News. (2021, March 9). How grief rewires the brain and can affect health—and what to do about it. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/03/10/how-grief-rewires-the-brain-and-can-affect-health-and-what-to-do-about-it American Psychological Association. (2022, March 29). How grieving changes the brain, with Mary-Frances O’Connor, PhD [Audio podcast episode]. In Speaking of Psychology. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/grieving-changes-brain Atsma, A. (n.d.). Keres. Theoi Greek Mythology. https://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Keres.htmlA-Z Animals. (n.d.). These animals are used to represent death. A-Z Animals. https://a-z-animals.com/slideshows/these-animals-are-used-to-represent-death/ Bird History. (2023, October 15). When birds mean death. Bird History. https://birdhistory.substack.com/p/when-birds-mean-death Chatterjee, R. (2021, December 20). How grief and loss affect the brain, and how we can heal. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/12/20/1056741090/grief-loss-holiday-brain-healing Discover Magazine. (n.d.). Why do these 6 animals represent death in cultures around the world? Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/why-do-these-6-animals-represent-death-in-cultures-around-the-world-45511 Discover Wildlife. (n.d.). Animals associated with death. Discover Wildlife. https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/animals-associated-with-deathGeggel, L. (2023, October 31). Creatures associated with death from around the world. Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/animals/creatures-associated-with-death Greek Gods and Goddesses. (n.d.). Keres. Greek Gods and Goddesses. https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/goddesses/keres/ Lewis, T. (2023, July 6). How the brain copes with grief. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-brain-copes-with-grief/ Mindful Synergi. (n.d.). The biochemistry of grief: How loss changes the body. Mindful Synergi. https://www.mindfulsynergi.com/the-biochemistry-of-grief-how-loss-changes-the-body/ Olympioi. (n.d.). Keres: Goddess of violent death. Olympioi. https://olympioi.com/demigods/keres Rolfes, S. J. (2024). Beware the banshees cry: The folklore and history of the messengers of death. Llewellyn.The Times of India. (2024, March 1). 7 birds that are considered bad omens in different cultures [Photo story]. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/7-birds-that-are-considered-bad-omens-in-different-cultures/photostory/120649246.cms Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Keres. In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keres YouTube. (n.d.). [Video on Keres] [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgH7Q3p3quM
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