Nocturne: Recent Episodes
Nocturne
There are 24 hours in a day. Seems pretty straightforward. But what do you really know about the hours between say, 11pm-6am. From graveyard shift jobs to “secret identities”, who we are and what we do at night is often less fully perceived by others, whether by choice or by circumstance. Peering into the dusty corners of the night, Nocturne explores these often overlooked and undisclosed slices of life. Under cover of darkness, our thoughts and feelings can take on strange new shapes, sometimes barely recognizable as our own. And the pulse of the world seems to alter too, sort of creating a curtain of privacy around our behaviors and even our appearance. Do I truly know you if I only know the daytime you? Let’s find out in Nocturne. Nocturne is a member of The Heard, an awesome collective of sound-rich, story-driven podcasts.
Nocturne is essay radio – a hybrid form of audio storytelling that blends elements of documentary, fiction and sound-art.
The Nocturne podcast was created by Vanessa Lowe and Kent Sparling, and is produced by Vanessa Lowe.
Theme music composed by Kent Sparling.
Adam Baraz was raised by meditation teachers, and began meditating as a kid. In his quest to find deeper joy and well-being, he eventually branched off from his parents' teachings, and embarked upon a journey into darkness retreats. What he found there changed his life.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
(Found)ation Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music by Kent Sparling and Jeffrey Foster
Thank you to Hunter Longshore.
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
In the documentary film, Nocturnes, the tiny fluttering nocturnal creatures who inhabit the Himalayan forest between India and Bhutan offer an exquisite and irresistible invitation - to experience the natural world with more love and attention.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Our Precious Time Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music by Kent Sparling and Jeffrey Foster
Find out more about the film, Nocturnes, at https://grasshopperfilm.com/film/nocturnes/
All natural sounds in this episode were original to the film, and provided by the filmmakers, Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan.
Thank you to Hunter Longshore.
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Hello dear listener, Vanessa here.
First off, I want to let you know about a unique in-person event that Nocturne will be part of in the San Francisco Bay Area on Saturday, January 10th.
Way back last January we released the episode, Impression, in which I followed artist, Nathanael Gray out to the wilds of the Point Reyes National Seashore, and chronicled his process of creating a large triptych painting of the ocean, in the dark.
If you'll be in the Bay Area on January 10th, I'd like to invite you to an intimate immersive experience in which we'll gather together from 6:30-9pm, listen to the episode, AND reveal the painting that Nathanael created for the first time, along with his newly created series, Ocean Fields. What's more, they'll be time to mingle in the lovely art/gathering space - A Loft of One's Own, in Emeryville, purchase yummy pop up food, amidst a newly created soundscape by Nocturne composer, and co-creator, Kent Sparling.
The event is free, but there are limited spots available, so RSVP is required. You can find event details at https://www.aloftofonesown.com/impression .
And speaking of past episodes, I thought I'd drop an old holiday favorite into the feed as a rebroadcast. The episode is Tree People, from back in 2017, featuring Joel Shupack, who worked for years guarding Christmas Trees at night in NYC. Joel is highly entertaining as he recalls the ins and outs of this very unique nocturnal gig. So, whether you're revisiting this story or hearing it for the first time, I hope you enjoy it.
There’s a funny thing about Christmas in New York: In a city where most of the living trees are clumped together in just a few areas, right around Thanksgiving new clumps of trees start popping up all over this mostly concrete and asphalt setting. The tree stands sprinkled throughout the city create a festive air, but there’s another dimension to the world of Christmas trees in New York City at night.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Tree People Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.
Production help on this episode from Joel Shupack.
You can find Joel Shupack's podcast, Square Mile, here.
Find out about the live art event in Emeryville, featuring work by Nathanael Gray, on January 10th, 2026 here: https://www.aloftofonesown.com/impression
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Also by Kent Sparling:
Callum; Farther You Are; Galvin Needle; Wait; Silent Night; Oh Christmas Tree; Cuttings; Carbon Source, Unreleased
Rue Royale:
Deck the Halls
Pollen:
Jingle Bells Swing
Aldrine Guerrero:
Source recording for Carol of the Bells
Episode Artwork: Robin Galante
Lullabies and goodnight wishes are thought to soothe both the giver and the receiver. They're an anchor in time, as we send each other off into the dark unknown, hoping that the world will reassemble recognizable, and that we might have more moments together.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
How We Say Goodnight Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music by Kent Sparling and Jeffrey Foster
Find out more about Night Air, by Karen Werner. The Night Air singers in this episode were Aleksandra Gorzkeiewicz, Trine Hansen, Wench Haukland (flute and voice), and Alan Ó Raghallaigh.
Other voices in this episode include Rhodes (guitar playing busker), Heidi Bagnall, Josh LaBaw, Jared Moore, Mario DeSio, Stephanie Rubin, Kent Sparling, Finn Sparlowe, and Lis Pezzulich. Thank you to all the others who lent their voices.
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
When Michael Koppy was a kid, he fell in love with running, logging a thousand miles in one summer. In his eighth decade, he's still pushing himself, breaking records, and following his dreams, one step at a time.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Ultra Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music by Kent Sparling and Kid Otter
Find info about Michael Koppy at https://www.duluthymca.org/runkoppy
Sled recording by Dan Kraker
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective
Scientists have dubbed this time period the Lunar Anthropocene, a new geological epoch in which human's have become the dominant force shaping the moon's environment. As humans race forward into deeper exploration and utilization of the moon and beyond, astronomer, Dr. Aparna Venkatesan, urges us to consider the shared nature of the cosmos.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Shared Space Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music by Kent Sparling and Kid Otter.
Find Dr. Aparna Venkatesan at aparnavenkatesan.com
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.
Scientists have dubbed this time period the Lunar Anthropocene, a new geological epoch in which human's have become the dominant force shaping the moon's environment. As humans race forward into deeper exploration and utilization of the moon and beyond, astronomer, Dr. Aparna Venkatesan, urges us to consider the shared nature of the cosmos.
Many of us have struggled with insomnia at various times in our lives. Annabel Abbs' journey through insomnia led her to discoveries that completely changed her life.
"Henry 1" is the Sonoma Country Sheriff's Office helicopter rescue unit. They're available 24/7, and are one of the busiest programs of their kind in the country. They're the only one in the country that does long line rescues at night. They're super badass.
Nocturne is turning 10 YEARS OLD next month! In honor of this huge milestone, we are revisiting an early listener favorite, with a twist. It turns out, the night, with it's hidden, pulse quickening, mystery, may not be something to triumph over, it might be something to savor.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Into Under Through Again Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music by Kent Sparling.
Music in original episode by Jeffrey Foster, Janet Feder, and Kent Sparling.
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective
An early tragedy led Tom Turcich to examine what he wanted out of life, so over the course of seven years, he and Savannah walked around the globe. Tom is the 10th man to walk around the world, and Savannah is the first dog.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Tom and Savannah Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music by David C . Hughes, Jeffrey Foster; Kid Otter.
Find out more about Tom Turcich and the World Walk here.
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective
An early tragedy led Tom Turcich to examine what he wanted out of life. Over the course of seven years, Tom and Savannah walked around the globe. Tom is the 10th man to walk around the world, and Savannah is the first dog.
As the world changes around us, how do we balance grief and gratitude? How do we stay connected enough to what we love, to be able to mobilize the energy and spirit to fight for it? Some people in Point Reyes Station, in northern California, are acutely aware of what they have, what they could lose, and why it matters. So they've banded together, harnessing the power of community, to do what they can.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Noctalgia Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music by Jeffrey Foster; Kid Otter; Kent Sparling
Find out more about Dark Sky International, Dark Sky West Marin, the work of John Barentine, and the work of Aparna Venkatesan.
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective
Extra thanks to Kim Thomas!
As the world changes around us, how do we balance grief and gratitude? How do we stay connected enough to what we love, to be able to mobilize the energy and spirit to fight for it? Some people in Point Reyes Station, in northern California, are acutely aware of what they have, what they could lose, and why it matters. So they've banded together, harnessing the power of community, to do what they can.
As winter fades into memory in the northern hemisphere, many breathe sighs of relief, looking forward to longer days and the warmth of the sun inviting time spent outside. But some are not so excited, hanging on to the wisps of winter with its long cold nights.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Balaclava Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music by Kyron (aka JC Mendizbal); Kid Otter; Kent Sparling
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective
As winter fades into memory in the northern hemisphere, many breathe sighs of relief, looking forward to longer days and the warmth of the sun inviting time spent outside. But some are not so excited, hanging on to the wisps of winter with its long cold nights.
This episode is about the only mammal that can fly, one that's reviled, but actually pretty darned gentle, unlike in the vampire stories that sprung up around it. But it's also about the dogged man who's been working on saving them for the the last 65 years.
There's a lot to be sad, stressed and upset about in the world right now. It's important to give those things our focus and attention and action, but we also need to take the time to appreciate the world around us - the precious, beautiful, strange planet we call home. There are gifts to be discovered in the darkness.
Today is the winter solstice in the North hemisphere - the longest night of the year. What better time to gather with a group of strangers and walk through the glowing streets of the Mission District in San Francisco, carrying boomboxes and speakers, creating something unique and beautiful together.
What leads a 21-year-old to leave the college of her dreams and travel clear across the country to live off grid, in the middle of a vast barren desert, surrounded by art made from trash? The answer is East Jesus.
In 2013, Ben Davis had the crazy idea to light up the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for it's 75th birthday, and turn it into a nightly art installation. Ten years later, the Bay Lights went dark, but Davis' mission is brighter than ever.
The U.S. Forest Service defines wilderness as having "outstanding opportunities for solitude". When Adam Danielson summited Mount Shasta he got more solitude than he would ever want.
Many sighted people envision being blind as inhabiting an endless night, but the realities of blindness are often much richer and more varied. Andrew Leland offers glimpses from the Country of the Blind.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
The Nyctalops Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music:
Kent Sparling // Jeffrey foster // Kid Otter
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Find Andrew Leland, as well as information about his new memoir, The Country of the Blind, here.
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.
Whether it's to hear live music, to hang out, or to hook up, bars and clubs are a big part of nightlife for a lot of people. But going out to a bar is not without risk, particularly for women, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Angel Shot Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music:
Kent Sparling // Myles Boisen // Kid Otter
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Find info about Safe Bars and Lauren Taylor's other work.
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.
Until fairly recently, there was no distinct focus on the archeology of the night. Lacking a specific nightitme lense through which to view relics from the past, archeologists had been missing an opportunity to capture a whole complete portrait of ancient people's lives. It was kind of like painting a picture and filling in only half the canvas.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Nightways Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music:
Kent Sparling // Jeffrey Foster // David Hughes // Kid Otter
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Find Nancy Gonlin's books here.
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.
This episode was brought to you with support from Betterhelp. Visit Betterhelp.com/Nocturne to get 10% off your first month.
Until fairly recently, there was no distinct focus on the archeology of the night. Lacking a specific nighttime lens through which to view relics from the past, archeologists had been missing an opportunity to capture a whole complete portrait of ancient people's lives. It was kind of like painting a picture and filling in only half the canvas.
An unexplained sound at night is like an actor on a stage, or a mystical beast drawing power from the moon. Without all the other noise competing for attention, sound at night stands out, it travels farther, it bends and shimmers in unexpected ways. It can tantalize, mesmerize, terrify or downright destroy you in irritation. At the very least it…
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Christina Gil began her career as an architect in Columbia. As she worked and traveled, she started thinking about how lighting could be part of the solution to making cities safer and more inviting, specifically for women at night. An idea began to take form for a project, an initiative really - called The Night-Time Traveller. The mission of the Night-Time Traveller project would be to explore urban night design from a women's perspective.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
In Shadow Places Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.
Find out more about The Night-Time Traveller and Christina Gil's work.
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music:
Kent Sparling // Jeffrey Foster
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.
This episode was brought to you with support from BetterHelp for supporting this episode. Visit BetterHelp.com/Nocturne today to get 10% off your first month.
I have a request! If you have a story about a mysterious sound in the night, let me know! I may use it in an upcoming episode! You can leave a voicemail at (510) 982-6959, or send me a recording in an email at vanessa at nocturnepodcast.org.
In most major urban and suburban areas in the U.S., it's easy to take for granted that the streets are for cars - that's just the way it is almost all the time. That's what we expect to see and experience, day and night.
So, when you come across a road taken over by joyful people on bicycles, with cars stuck on the sidelines, it's kind of a delightful spectacle. In fact, around where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, that's called a bike party.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Hot for Teacher Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.
Find out more about East Bay Bike Party , and the attacks on riders during the February ride.
Music
Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling
Additional music:
Jeffrey Foster
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.
This episode was brought to you with support from BetterHelp for supporting this episode. Visit BetterHelp.com/Nocturne today to get 10% off your first month.
This episode was also brought to you with support from Ocusleep. Visit Ocusleep.com and use the code NOCTURNE for $40 off and free shipping.
I have a request! If you have a story about a mysterious sound in the night, let me know! I may use it in an upcoming episode! You can leave a voicemail at (510) 982-6959, or send me a recording in an email at vanessa at nocturnepodcast.org.
In most major urban and suburban areas in the U.S., it's easy to take for granted that the streets are for cars - that's just the way it is almost all the time. That's what we expect to see and experience, day and night.
So, when you come across a road taken over by joyful people on bicycles, with cars stuck on the sidelines, it's kind of a delightful spectacle. In fact, around where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, that's called a bike party.
Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast
In a world where the nutritional needs of sex workers is not given much consideration, Nikeisah Newton feeds strippers the most scrumptious healthy things she can think of. And she delivers. Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Meals 4 Heels Credits Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe. Find out more about Meals 4 Heels . Music Nocturne theme music by Kent…
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From tree surfing to sleeping in trees, Peter Jenkins has done it all. And he's spent more than half his life teaching others how to do it, too.
From tree surfing to sleeping in trees, Peter Jenkins has done it all. And he's spent more than half his life teaching others how to do it, too.
There are some experiences that, while wonderful at any time, are amplified in their wonderfulness when they happen at night. This is one of them.
There are some experiences that, while wonderful at any time, are amplified in their wonderfulness when they happen at night. This is one of them.
Dreams are often thought of as windows into the unconscious mind. Charles Mcphee made a career of interpreting people's dreams on the radio as "The Dream Doctor". When Rachel discovered the show as a kid, it became a different kind of window - offering strange and surprising insight into the world of adults.
Monte Rio is a tiny peaceful Northern California town, nestled in a hilly forest of redwoods, beside a river. Who’s starting all the fires?
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what it would feel like to take a long walk through a dark, dark night, without fear. So, I decided to take myself on a walk like that, with you. This night feels strange and different. The darkness and the glittering bits of light are not as they usually appear, how they usually feel.
You won't find the word "Tenebrisology" in the dictionary - yet. It means, "the study of natural darkness", and it was created by Jane Slade. Her work in the lighting industry woke her up to the darkness we're all missing, and her mission to bring it back.
I rarely talk about the fact that I pretty much always feel hyperaware, if not nervous, when I'm out alone at night. I'm embarrassed to admit that. But I'm not alone. Hannah Drake asked the question, "What would you do out at night if you weren't afraid?", and the answers were illuminating.
Amanda and her husband went out on a guided nighttime kayaking tour for their anniversary. What they'd hoped would be a relaxing, romantic excursion into nature turned into something else entirely.
Some things can only really be experienced in a dark theater full of people. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with its midnight shows spanning more than 45 years, is the longest running theatrically released film in history, but it's more than just a movie.
en you're at the Oakland Zoo at night you can see the glow of the city in the sky overhead. But down on the ground, in amongst the animals, it's an entirely different world.
Pedram's dog, KitKat, is the most important thing in his life - their close emotional bond is a source of comfort and delight. But this bond also comes with constant fear, because they live in Iran where dogs are considered "untouchable", and the only truly safe place is in the dark shadows of the night.
Hey there - it's Vanessa. I'm hard at work on a brand new episode of Nocturne to be released in a couple of weeks. But in the mean time, I wanted to let you know about another show that I think you'll really like. So, I decided to feature an episode here in the Nocturne feed.
This story comes from Twenty Thousand Hertz, a lovingly crafted podcast that reveals the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. The episode is called Sonic Bubbles, and it's about how humans have shaped our sonic environment.
Twenty Thousand Hertz has also done episodes about the music in human speech, spy messages on the radio, and the sounds of other planets. Subscribe to Twenty Thousand Hertz, right here in your podcast player, and enjoy Sonic Bubbles now.
A new episode of Nocturne is coming your way soon.
Astronomer James Lowenthal gave a TEDx talk in 2016 warning that with the availability of cheap LED lights, light pollution around the world was about to get much worse very quickly. Little did he know that there was a much bigger threat to the night sky right around the corner.
Dvora has interacted with elemental spirits since she was a child. She's learned to set boundaries, so as not to be attacked or taken advantage of. Sometimes the elementals just want to talk, sometimes they need help, and sometimes they're the ones offering help. Nocturne is having a 30 day special offer on https://www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast ! Sign up to become a supporter at the $5 level or above and get all the existing benefits (including Night Light bonus episodes), AND I will send you a treat bag with Nocturne stickers and some other cool stuff.
Danny's first skydiving experience set him on course to do something that most people would never dream of doing, something that for most people would actually be seriously terrifying, and for good reason. This story is about something that is dangerous, illegal, and I don't recommend it, AT ALL.
Clustering around the warmth and power of a campfire, it feels like the edges of people get softened - we speak and listen to each other differently - there's a deepening that doesn't happen in many other settings. What use to be the norm, is now a special treat - gazing into the embers, listening to the mesmerizing crackle, and telling our own secrets and stories in the night.
There are only 6000 tule elk left in the world, all of them found in California. Some of them roam along the coastal hills of Point Reyes National Seashore, an area that is also occupied by cattle and dairy ranches. To protect grazing land for cows, some of the elk are confined by high fences. But as drought worsens, and the elk are cut off from food and water, large numbers of them are dying. A band of activists have been trekking through the fog, in darkness, to try to help them. Through the Fog Credits
Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe. Music Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling Additional music: Kent Sparling Find more information about Jack Gescheidt. Sounds of the nighttime water drop were recorded by Tony Sehgal, for his film, "Dying of Thirst at Point Reyes National Seashore". More information on the issues related to the tule elk and cattle operations at Point Reyes National Seashore:
www.ForElk.org
www.IDAusa.org
www.pacificsun.com/death-by-design-how-the-national-park-service-experiments-on-tule-elk/
www.sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/09/13/point-reyes-protest-calls-out-park-service-over-tule-elk-water-supply/
www.ptreyeslight.com/article/elk-activists-stage-protest-ranch-land
www.ptreyeslight.com/article/true-boom-and-bust-fenced-herd-shrinks-drought
Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka
Kim felt an irresistible pull toward life on the road - the traveler's lifestyle, without schedules or responsibilities. Hopping freight trains and searching for places to sleep are now a thing of the past, but she still tries to hold on to the spirit of adventure and surprise she loved from that time.
Grace felt everything deeply from an early age. She was having panic attacks at 9 years old, and separation anxiety in middle school. The anxiety came to a head when she was 12, and nothing she tried helped in any meaningful way. Until one night she looked out her window.
Tonight, as you're lying in bed, take a moment to think about the fact that in the night sky right above you, a massive river of birds is on an epic, death-defying journey of survival.
Most parents would never consider leaving their kids in the dark woods at night, and letting them find their way back. The Dutch do just that, and they call it Dropping, and the kids mostly have fun.
When Lia Ditton set out from San Francisco to row alone across the Pacific Ocean she was confident that she would make it to Hawaii. But when you leave land, all you really know is that you're going on an adventure.
I've been thinking about fear, and movement, and exploration, and safety. I've been thinking about barriers, and perimeters - those we create and those that are imposed. Pushing yourself into fear on purpose gives some comfort that maybe you'll be able to navigate life when you really have no control, when your thrown into a darkness bigger and deeper than you would ever choose.
The night represents a slowing, quiet contemplation, autonomy, dreams ... the dominion of rest. But Grind Culture tells us that our worth is in our productivity. The Nap Bishop is here to tell us, "No". Rest is not a privilege, it's a human right. Sleep deprivation is a social and racial justice issue. And, "Resting is actually going to allow you to wake up."
Alec had spent countless summer days near Mammoth Pool Reservoir, in the Sierra National Forest. His memories were filled with fun and relaxation. As Alec and a friend arrived at the lake the first night of the Labor Day Weekend, there was little to indicate that this weekend would be any different than the trove of happy memories he had of this place.
The challenges of being unhoused are almost too many to count. They take on a distinct flavor at night.
The challenges of being unhoused are almost too many to count. They take on a distinct flavor at night.
A walk through a park, an urban rooftop, a forest trail - all of these are one experience in broad daylight, and entirely another after nightfall. The river, Aare, in Switzerland transforms into another creature in the darkness. Read more →
The post The Drop appeared first on Nocturne.
A walk through a park, an urban rooftop, a forest trail - all of these are one experience in broad daylight, and entirely another after nightfall. The river, Aare, in Switzerland transforms into another creature in the darkness.
When Sally lost her brother to suicide, a friend advised her to be open to the possibility that he would try to visit her from beyond. Despite her initial skepticism, what she experienced in the ensuing months changed her mind completely.
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The post The Last Dream appeared first on Nocturne.
When Sally lost her brother to suicide, a friend advised her to be open to the possibility that he would try to visit her from beyond. Despite her initial skepticism, what she experienced in the ensuing months changed her mind completely.
What if, out of nowhere, you started hearing a low-frequency rumble, like a truck idling right outside your home, in the middle of the night, every night for weeks and months on end -- and no one else could hear it? Read more →
The post Can You Hear That? appeared first on Nocturne.
What if, out of nowhere, you started hearing a low-frequency rumble, like a truck idling right outside your home, in the middle of the night, every night for weeks and months on end -- and no one else could hear it?
To connect with an owl, even in a small way, is a rare gift. There is no animal more emblematic of the night. Elusive, mysterious and powerful: owls inspire both fear and awe. Read more →
The post Two Owls appeared first on Nocturne.
To connect with an owl, even in a small way, is a rare gift. Elusive, mysterious and powerful: owls inspire both fear and awe.
While graffiti is seen by some as blight, and by others as art, the act of hiding in the shadows and stealthily scrawling your name on a wall is ultimately about being seen, rather than doing damage. This was definitely the case for a boy who went by the tag, "Zebra" in Philadelphia back in 1975. Read more →
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While graffiti is seen by some as blight, and by others as art, the act of hiding in the shadows and stealthily scrawling your name on a wall is ultimately about being seen, rather than doing damage. This was definitely the case for a boy who went by the tag, "Zebra" in Philadelphia back in 1975.
In this high tech world, you're never without a camera, and can take a picture anywhere you go. But do these images convey the feelings of awe, excitement, wonder and fear you had while you were in those places? Adam Katseff discovered a way to do this by taking landscape photographs in the dark of night, revealing more by showing less. Read more →
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In this high tech world, you're never without a camera, and can take a picture anywhere you go. But do these images convey the feelings of awe, excitement, wonder and fear you had while you were in those places? Adam Katseff discovered a way to do this by taking landscape photographs in the dark of night, revealing more by showing less.
If you look closely enough at this seemingly idyllic stretch of road, nestled between a lake and a steep hillside in Northern California, you'll notice it's not so idyllic — at least not for the newts and salamanders determined to cross to the other side. Read more →
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There's a half mile stretch of road nestled between a lake and a steep hillside in rural Northern California. This road is idyllic and lush, with cows, sheep, birds and abundant wildlife. But if you look closely on rainy winter nights, it's anything but idyllic for the newts and salamanders determined to cross to the other side. Sally Gale is a rancher in Chileno Valley. One night, she resolved to help these tiny creatures, and that's how we got the Newt Brigade.
Night Newt. Photo credit: Sarah Digness.
Chileno Valley Road at night. Photo credit: Vanessa Lowe.
Sally Gale on the road. Photo credit: Vanessa Lowe.
Chileno Valley Ranch. Photo credit: Vanessa Lowe.
Night newt. Photo credit: Sarah Digness.
The black belt test at Studio Naga is a 48-hour ordeal with no sleep. By the second night, students are running on pure adrenaline when they arrive to an unknown location blindfolded in the dark. Then, it's time to fight. Read more →
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At most martial arts schools, rising to the level of black belt requires a test that can take several hours. At Studio Naga, the black belt test is a 48-hour ordeal with no sleep. Students are running on pure adrenaline by the second night when they are blindfolded in the dark and taken to an unknown location. That's when it's time to fight.
The blindfold is removed, revealing a dark path with a flickering candle at the end. Along the way, attackers jump out from the shadows. The black-belt candidates muster all of their focus, courage and strength to find a way through.
Night training. Photo credit: Vanessa Lowe.
The night is a perfect canvas for the ancient magic of Peruvian shamanism. In the darkness, your mind opens, allowing spirits to find a place to land Read more →
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The night is a perfect canvas for magic. As both the inner and outer terrain transform into something less familiar, your mind opens, allowing spirits to find a place to land. The ancient Peruvian art of shamanism harnesses the mystery and power of darkness, and uses it to heal those who suffer.
Eduardo Calderòn was a gifted curandero, or healer. He performed all-night ceremonies, with the aid of a psychedelic brew made from a night flowering cactus, to combat curses laid by witchcraft and sorcery.
Candles were a lifeline until they became merely ornamental. So, how do the candles feel about this? Read more →
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When candles were the way we brought light into the darkness, everything looked different at night. There was no glow from a streetlight outside or a city miles away. When the sun went down human activity shifted because it had to. If you needed to be outside in the darkness, your candle was a lifeline.
If you woke in the middle of the night, you’d likely rely on your sense of touch to guide you through your home. By candlelight you’d see some details of things that were close to you and maybe contours of things farther away. You’d still need to move slowly and carefully, because your vision would be limited to a small sphere of gentle light.
Even as the inky black night began to dissolve in the glow from gas lights, candles were steadfast and dependable. The portable flame. The iPhone of fire. So what would a candle observe about the passage of time, and its own changing role in the human saga?
Comfort turns to horror when the night becomes weaponized - used to terrorize and control. This is the most ominous embodiment of the night. Its most salient symbols are those of burning crosses, and the nightriders delivering their messages of terror. Read more →
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The dark stillness of night envelopes and cushions us. It draws us into ourselves and close to our loved ones. But comfort turns to horror in a heartbeat when the night becomes weaponized - used by bullies to terrorize and control, allowing the cowardly perpetrator to hide in the shadows and evade detection or identification. This is the most ominous embodiment of the night. Its most salient symbols are those of burning crosses, and the nightriders delivering their messages of terror.
Getting into character and scaring people silly is one of Campbell Harmon's favorite things in life. But his relationship to being a monster goes deeper than playing one in a haunted attraction. Read more →
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Campbell Harmon has played all sorts of monsters at the Wallingford Trail of Terror. He spends all year creating costumes and preparing the elaborate scenes that terrify guests each Halloween. Getting into character and scaring people silly is one of his favorite things in life. But his relationship to being a monster goes deeper than playing one in a haunted attraction.
The theme of this year’s KCRW 24-Hour Radio Race was “Where the Sun Don’t Shine”. One entry received the Nocturne Award. It’s called “The Telltale Arse” and it’s by producer Matt Livadary. The piece truly peers into the dusty corners of the night, where many would not look, and if they do what they see is uncomfortable, but real.
Kristin’s daughter was just 16 years old when she began to struggle with drug addiction - methamphetamine, heroin, and more. It brought Kristin to her knees. Of all the painful challenges, the worst was not knowing where her daughter was in the middle of the night. Read more →
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Kristin’s daughter was just 16 years old when she began to struggle with drug addiction - methamphetamine, heroin, and more. It brought Kristin to her knees. Of all the painful challenges, the worst was not knowing where her daughter was in the middle of the night.
Between searching for her daughter, worrying if she was alive and researching ways to help her, Kristin was barely taking care of herself. Sleep was almost non-existent. Finally, she gave herself permission to let go. And that’s when she discovered a way to lead her daughter to safety.
There is a cave in southern France that contains some of the world’s most deeply hidden secrets. To get there you must crawl on your belly through a long tomb-like passage, with your only light held between your teeth. Read more →
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In the Pyrenees of southern France, there is a cave containing some of the world’s most spectacular and deeply hidden secrets. To get there you must crawl on your belly through a long tomb-like passage, with your only light held between your teeth.
Will Hunt explores the deepest darkest places around the world. An early obsession with finding lost treasures in his own neighborhood has led him to a discovery that goes much deeper than hidden artifacts.
There are over 3500 species of crickets and each has a different song. One man fills his apartment in Brooklyn with their music, and then takes them out in public to perform alongside them. And then he eats them. Read more →
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Where I live, it’s coming up on cricket time. Particularly on warm summer nights, the air is alive with their singing - a sound that activates deep and long-lived memories from childhood and beyond. Of these crickets songs that permeate the night, and catapult me back, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote, "If moonlight could be heard, it would sound like that."
John Himmelman follows crickets through the night, and can identify different species by their songs. Adam Brody fills his apartment in Brooklyn with their music, and then takes them out in public to perform alongside them. And then he eats them.
Zoe and Sarah were young, free explorers on a spontaneous summer road trip. As darkness began to fall, the map on Zoe’s phone directed them to a short cut that would speed up their drive and get them to a safe place to spend the night. But that's not what happened. Read more →
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Zoe and Sarah were young, free explorers on a spontaneous summer road trip. As darkness began to fall, the map on Zoe’s phone directed them to a short cut that would speed up their drive and get them to a safe place to spend the night. But that's not what happened.
As they came to terms with what their night would actually look like, the challenge became figuring out how much danger they were really in, and how much of their fear came from within.
Clark Strand has always felt profoundly at home in the dark. Ever since he was a child, he has awoken in the middle of the night and gone out walking. One night in 2011, when Strand got up for his usual walk, a voice spoke directly in his ear, saying, “Don’t go out tonight. Remain calm and be very very still.” His life has never been the same.
Strand is the author of “Waking Up to the Dark: Ancient Wisdom For a Sleepless Age." His work draws from religion, spirituality, cultural anthropology and planetary ecology. Which is to say, he’s one of those thinkers who can synthesize ideas from pretty disparate fields, to form new ways of understanding the world. He’s come to the conclusion that our addiction to illumination, and the civilization it’s spawned, has led us to the edge of a cliff. And the only way to save ourselves is to embrace the darkness.
What is it about the night, about what happens in the darkness, when most people are asleep? Vanessa and radio host, Rod Quinn muse about this and much more, on this week's bonus episode. They even hear from callers across Australia sharing their feelings and observations about the night, in an excerpt of Overnights from ABC Radio in Australia.
If you’re working the night shift, or otherwise up when you don’t want to be, a voice in the night can feel like a life line; a reminder that you’re not alone, that the world is, in fact, still spinning. A lot of people find comfort in podcasts in the middle of the night – listening to stories, or conversations, they’re comforted by the voices of other humans. There’s tv and movies, and preprogrammed radio. But there’s really nothing else like late night call in shows on the radio – other humans, in real time, just chatting. You’re separated by space, but they’re there with you, in your car, your workplace, anywhere the radio waves can reach you.
In the early 1980’s commercial radio stations started realizing that there was a market for late night talk programming. In the words of one executive at WABC they were learning they were “not just a companion to old people and shut-ins”. And they were learning that the more outlandish and controversial the topics and conversations, the more listeners they got. More ears equals more advertisers.
Some shows operate based on a totally different premise. Rather then shocking or titillating the night owls, insomniacs and night shift workers, their goal is to bring comfort and normalcy to the hours that can feel like anything but comforting or normal.
Most people are in bed at night and then get up during the day. But journalist Katie Nelson felt the need to sleep all the time.
Here Be Monsters is a gorgeous podcast that explores the dark corners of the human mind, fear and the unknown. It’s transporting and surprising and you should definitely subscribe.
For two months a year, in a small Norwegian city, the sun never goes above the horizon. One researcher visits to find out why its citizens are happy despite the lack of light.
It has come to our attention that some of you may not have been seeing and hearing our new episodes, because a small amount of podcast players do not have our updated feed address. This is because this past November Nocturne began being distributed by KCRW. It’s big news for us - we joined KCRW’s roster of strange and beautiful podcasts, alongside the likes of Here Be Monsters, UnFictional, The Organist, and many more. We’re so excited about this, but very sorry if it has interrupted your listening of Nocturne episodes. As with any technical hocus pocus magic, sometimes there are pixies in the machines.
The simplest way to get the new feed address is to go to nocturnepodcast.org/subscribe.
And if you have questions or problems listening don’t hesitate to let us know at hello@nocturnepodcast.org.
Poetry and the night are some of the last remaining domains of “unknowing”; places where it’s acceptable to digest the world slowly and without conclusion, and where one can linger in, and traverse, experiences like solitude, impermanence, and wonder. Poets Cecily Parks and Tom Harding are both drawn to explore the intersection between the quiet tender moments of night and the act of writing and reading poetry.
What makes a place home? Is it a place that feels like a refuge? Is it somewhere you sleep really, really well? What if the place that feels like home is a secret apartment in the bowels of a giant mall?
This crazy thing happens in NYC as night approaches – as rush hour picks up and the streets get evermore hectic than normal, delivery men on bikes start racing through the streets to get people their restaurant food while it’s still hot.
Sometimes it takes losing your way in the dark, to realize that you were already lost. Read more →
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Something is happening to the animals. Can we all coexist on a crowded planet?
Read more →
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The shift into the darkness of night triggers our bodies to relax. Perhaps this is why so many babies begin their journey into the world at night. Read more →
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Traveling at night as a passenger is an act of trust. As the sensations of movement lull you to the edge of sleep or beyond, you surrender to dislocation; disconnecting from place and time. The only constant is motion. As your consciousness bobs up into the present moment, in the darkness you could be anywhere, or nowhere at all. Read more →
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There has never before been a time when human beings have had constant access to the breadth of human suffering. Our technology bathes us in this information, and it can be a challenge to not dissolve into a mass of emotion, or just go numb. Julia Scott found herself facing this dilemma, and intuitively creating a ritual for herself, the seeds of which were planted decades earlier. Read more →
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Research in 2013 found a connection between night owls and those with a sinister constellation of personality traits, ominously labeled, “The Dark Triad”. The study got a lot of attention in the media, with headlines claiming that night owls are more likely to be psychopaths and narcissists. There was just one problem. Read more →
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Malcolm Saunders is a fisherman in Cornwall, on the southern tip of the UK. While most of the old fishing ports have transformed into tourist attractions, there are still some working fishing boats, manned by seasoned weathered fisherman. They’re holding onto to an almost forgotten way of life – one that ties their livelihood to nature, with all of the thrill and hardship that goes along with it. Their lives are governed by tides, and weather, and time - A fisherman goes out where and when the fish are, day or night. There’s nothing else to it. Read more →
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Hospitals are amazing places. They’re emblems of the modern medical technology that saves and improves our lives in countless ways every day. But if you’ve ever roamed the halls of a hospital in the middle of the night, with its shiny echoey surfaces, background hum of anxiety, and distant monitors chiming like beacons of peril, you’re in no rush to return. But if you must, you’ll want someone like Shoshana Ungerleider there keeping an eye on things, especially if there are zebras. Read more →
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One of the things that changes instantly when you have a baby is your relationship to sleep. It usually becomes scarce and precious, and everyone has advice. Much less talked about is the continuing nighttime struggle between parents and their young kids. Because by the time your child is a year or two old, any competent parent has it under control, right? Kids go to sleep and parents get to have their night. Adam Mansbach drew back the curtain on this ridiculous fallacy. Read more →
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Our relationship to the darkness can shift over time. One of the main ways that this happens is by walking into the dark, both literally and metaphorically. By walking toward the thing that scares us the most, or causes the most pain, we have the potential to almost magically transform it into something completely different.
Read more →
Our relationship to the darkness can shift over time. One of the main ways that this happens is by walking into the dark, both literally and metaphorically. By walking toward the thing that scares us the most, or causes the most pain, we have the potential to almost magically transform it into something completely different.
Read more →
The post The Weight of the River appeared first on Nocturne.
There’s a funny thing about Christmas in New York: In a city where most of the living trees are clumped together in just a few areas, right around Thanksgiving new clumps of trees start popping up all over this mostly concrete and asphalt setting. The tree stands sprinkled throughout the city create a festive air, but there’s another dimension to the world of Christmas trees in New York City at night. Read more →
There’s a funny thing about Christmas in New York: In a city where most of the living trees are clumped together in just a few areas, right around Thanksgiving new clumps of trees start popping up all over this mostly concrete and asphalt setting. The tree stands sprinkled throughout the city create a festive air, but there’s another dimension to the world of Christmas trees in New York City at night. Read more →
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Beverly D’Urso is a lucid dreaming celebrity. She was a subject of Stephen LaBerge’s research at the Stanford Sleep Lab in the 1980’s, has written numerous articles and given classes on lucid dreaming, and has been featured in multiple television programs and magazine articles. She’s done pretty much everything you can do in your dreams. But she’s decided to focus on being awake, instead. Read more →
The post Ep. 34 – Life Is But a Dream appeared first on Nocturne.
Beverly D’Urso is a lucid dreaming celebrity. She was a subject of Stephen LaBerge’s research at the Stanford Sleep Lab in the 1980’s, has written numerous articles and given classes on lucid dreaming, and has been featured in multiple television programs and magazine articles. She’s done pretty much everything you can do in your dreams. But she’s decided to focus on being awake, instead. Read more →
Beverly D’Urso is a lucid dreaming celebrity. She was a subject of Stephen LaBerge’s research at the Stanford Sleep Lab in the 1980’s, has written numerous articles and given classes on lucid dreaming, and has been featured in multiple television programs and magazine articles. She’s done pretty much everything you can do in your dreams. But she’s decided to focus on being awake, instead.
The built environment consists of structures that humans make - including spaces where people live, work and play. For the most part, these places are inhabited during the day. But at night, new aspects of the built environment are revealed. Some people are drawn to explore these spaces, not to vandalize or create mischief - just to see and to appreciate. But society has a name for that – it’s called trespassing. Read more →
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The built environment consists of structures that humans make - including spaces where people live, work and play. For the most part, these places are inhabited during the day. But at night, new aspects of the built environment are revealed. Some people are drawn to explore these spaces, not to vandalize or create mischief - just to see and to appreciate. But society has a name for that – it’s called trespassing. Read more →
The Sleepless project is two things: It's a voicemail that people can call when they can't sleep, so they can talk about what's on their mind and hopefully get back to sleep. It’s also an art project where the creator of the project makes short videos to accompany the voice messages. She came to the project through her own sleepless nights. Read more →
The Sleepless project is two things: It's a voicemail that people can call when they can't sleep, so they can talk about what's on their mind and hopefully get back to sleep. It’s also an art project where the creator of the project makes short videos to accompany the voice messages. She came to the project through her own sleepless nights. Read more →
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On a beautiful day in April, Matthew Bryce went out to surf by himself off a remote beach in Scotland. Usually he goes out for 3 or 4 hours, and then goes about his life. This time was different. Read more →
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On a beautiful day in April, Matthew Bryce went out to surf by himself off a remote beach in Scotland. Usually he goes out for 3 or 4 hours, and then goes about his life. This time was different. Read more →
In January I left my home for 6 months of wandering, and of course one of the main things I explored were the infinite shades of night in each new place. What I noticed more than ever is that every night is a finger print - each is unique, with no one the same as another. The sounds tell the stories. Read more →
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In January I left my home for 6 months of wandering, and of course one of the main things I explored were the infinite shades of night in each new place. What I noticed more than ever is that every night is a finger print - each is unique, with no one the same as another. The sounds tell the stories. Read more →
Have you every woken up in the wee hours of the night to find that you’re gripped by fears and anxieties that just didn’t exist in the light of day?
You can lie there awake in bed, in your comfortable home, maybe even next to a loved one, and find your thoughts circling like persistent vultures. And then the morning rolls around, and it’s almost impossible to recreate the sense of foreboding that existed just a few hours earlier. Read more →
The post Ep. 29 – 3am appeared first on Nocturne.
Have you every woken up in the wee hours of the night to find that you’re gripped by fears and anxieties that just didn’t exist in the light of day?
You can lie there awake in bed, in your comfortable home, maybe even next to a loved one, and find your thoughts circling like persistent vultures. And then the morning rolls around, and it’s almost impossible to recreate the sense of foreboding that existed just a few hours earlier. Read more →
Lots of museums have regular evening hours or events, often lasting until 8 or 9pm. But I wonder - what do these worlds become in the wee hours, when the last visitor has heeded the call to leave, and the doors are locked? What transformations take place when no one is watching? Read more →
The post Ep. 28 – They’re All Asleep appeared first on Nocturne.
Lots of museums have regular evening hours or events, often lasting until 8 or 9pm. But I wonder - what do these worlds become in the wee hours, when the last visitor has heeded the call to leave, and the doors are locked? What transformations take place when no one is watching? Read more →
In that place where darkness and isolation meet, fear can take hold in a particularly visceral way. When you’re alone in the dark, every sense works overtime. It can feel like the darkness and the fear are interchangeable. One comes to represent the other. The darkness can paralyze you. Or you can walk straight into it. Read more →
In that place where darkness and isolation meet, fear can take hold in a particularly visceral way. When you’re alone in the dark, every sense works overtime. It can feel like the darkness and the fear are interchangeable. One comes to represent the other. The darkness can paralyze you. Or you can walk straight into it. Read more →
The post Ep. 27 – The Radical Shift appeared first on Nocturne.
In that place where darkness and isolation meet, fear can take hold in a particularly visceral way. When you’re alone in the dark, every sense works overtime. It can feel like the darkness and the fear are interchangeable. One comes to represent the other. The darkness can paralyze you. Or you can walk straight into it.
In September 2015 the full moon crossed into the Earth’s shadow and turned redish gold. It was the first blood moon, or total lunar eclipse of a super moon, in over 30 years, and it wouldn’t happen again for almost twenty more. The moon was old and strange, and we were seeing it in a form that occurs only very rarely. It was something we had to show up for, because it wasn’t available on demand. We had to come out of our homes and out of our routines.Also, the moon that night made us look up, away from ourselves and our immediate concerns. It reminded us of the real scale of things, at least for a little while. Read more →
The post Ep. 26 – Moon Shadow appeared first on Nocturne.
The night can be a desperate and lonely place. Fortunately, there’s a group of people who make it their mission to bring comfort and hope to people in the night. Read more →
The post Ep. 25 – A Word of Hope appeared first on Nocturne.
The ethos of randonneuring emphasizes personal challenge and comraderie. Randonneurs share the goal of having everyone make it to the finish line. They take care of each other, because what they’re doing is kinda crazy and a little dangerous. Read more →
The post Ep. 24 – The Kindness of Others appeared first on Nocturne.
Picture it. You’re biking along a winding country road, 30 miles from the nearest town. The air is cool, there’s a slight wind, maybe a gentle mist. It’s three o’clock in the morning. You’ve been awake for 23 hours. Read more →
The post Ep. 23 – Proof of Passage appeared first on Nocturne.
The police play an important role in civil society. Their first mandate is to serve and protect - the ultimate goal being the maintenance of social order. Often this is accomplished with out undue assaults on individual liberty. But many factors come into play in the tension between freedom and order. It can be a fine balancing act, without clear edges. And it only takes one dark night to color lasting impressions. Read more →
The post Ep. 22 – Freedom and Control appeared first on Nocturne.
Some surveys suggest that up to a quarter of couples sleep in separate beds. Dave and Sue have both experienced the need to sleep alone, and while they miss things about sharing a bed all night, the arrangement seems tolerable to both of them. This is not the case for another couple I spoke to. Brooke and Bob have been struggling for years to find a solution to what seems like an insurmountable sleep impasse.
The post Ep. 21 – To Separate Chambers appeared first on Nocturne.
The night bus rolls through the city like a small enclosed world. You never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll see. One night, Helen Zaltzman’s bus ride home from the movies took a dark turn.
The post Ep. 20 – A Luminous Bubble appeared first on Nocturne.
Jade Walker hates the daylight so much that most of her neighbors have rarely seen her. The sun is a personal affront to her. But she’s not disconnected from life. In fact, she sees it all. And because of her, so do we.
The post Ep. 19 – The Vampire Beat appeared first on Nocturne.
The stars are always there in the sky, even when we can’t see them. Why should we look? Why should we care? Paul Salazar cares, and he has compelling reasons why you should, too.
The post Ep. 18 – Look Up! appeared first on Nocturne.
Our dreams can allow us to experience things that are – impossible. Yeah, some dreams take us where we’d rather not go. But others invite us into a world filled with joy, and ease, and wonder. They connect us to a forgotten part of ourselves. It feels realer than real, this realm we can only inhabit when we’re sleeping.
The post Ep. 17 – I Was Flying appeared first on Nocturne.
Sometimes the world of our dreams can be unsettling; even terrifying. The fear can be like an echo or a shadow of true emotion; or it can be utterly real, even justified. At times the fearful experiences we have at night can introduce questions into the nature of reality, itself. Many explanations have been offered for some of the most terrifying intrusions into sleep, but questions are not always answered, phenomena are left unexplained, there is no resolution.
The post Ep. 16 – Standing Over The Bed appeared first on Nocturne.
Please consider supporting Nocturne on Patreon. Go to http://www.patreon.com/nocturnepodcast .
Music:
Taiga, Kent Sparling
Johnny Bear, Jeffrey Foster and Kent Sparling
Artwork: Robin Galante
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Lynne Cox has spent her life swimming vast distances and pushing herself to the edges of possibility. Since the beginning, she has thrived on exploring uncharted territories, including the ocean at night.
The post Ep. 15 – To A Distant Continent appeared first on Nocturne.
The night can be like the great frontier to a kid; a forbidden zone; the perfect place to explore autonomy and independence. At first it might be tempting for parents to just lay down the law. But they're up against a lot. They're up against the best feeling in the world.
The post Ep. 14 – Best Feeling in the World appeared first on Nocturne.
Sleep can serve as both refuge and captor. That’s the case for Monica, who’s blessed with the enviable ability to consistently sleep through the night, almost without fail, no matter what’s going on. During one of the most difficult times of her life, this gift became a painful liability.
The post Ep. 13 – Letting Go appeared first on Nocturne.
The moon, the stars and the tides are through-lines connecting us to the beginning of life on our planet. These lines can flicker in and out of awareness in the glare of modern culture. But there are ancient creatures living among us, for whom every breath is a reflection of the moon on the water. One in a thousand hatchling sea turtles survive to make it back to the beach of their birth, lay their own eggs, and complete the cycle. There are a hundred ways for things to go wrong.
The post Ep. 12 – Stars in Unison appeared first on Nocturne.
Things happen sometimes that don’t make sense, that we can’t explain. And would we really want to if we could?
The post Ep. 11 – Triumph’s Ring appeared first on Nocturne.
The blurred edges of the night can inspire excitement and transformation. The shroud of darkness emboldens some to reveal hidden aspects of their personality, sometimes with gleeful abandon. Sue Casa finds balance through metamorphosis; expressing parts of herself that are less acceptable in the harsh light of the day. Playground Rules Credits Produced, edited and mixed by Vanessa Lowe. Sue Casa co-hosts… Read more →
The post Ep. 10 – Playground Rules appeared first on Nocturne.
Sometimes the best way out of the darkness is to walk through it. A woman transform's her life through motion. Read more →
The post Ep. 9 – Forward Momentum appeared first on Nocturne.
The darkness of night offers rich opportunities to mind and explore our fears. When you choose to walk straight into the darkness you don’t know what you’ll find; both outside in the shadows, and deep inside yourself. More →
The post Ep. 8 – Into, Under, Through appeared first on Nocturne.
The stars are disappearing. We're losing natural darkness. It's happened rapidly, but just slowly enough that it's hard to notice. But once your eyes open to the vanishing dark, you see it everywhere. Can we bring back the night sky? More →
The post Ep. 7 – The Vanishing Dark appeared first on Nocturne.
A man, a bird, and a hose. The sounds of night can delight or enrage, in equal parts; and lack of sleep can lead to desperate measures, in some. More →
The post Ep. 6 – (This is Not) A Love Song appeared first on Nocturne.
Al Wilkinson drove a big rig through the night for 28 years, and it was a new experience each time. The runs offered beautiful scenery and time to think, but one dark rainy night this peaceful solitude fell out from under him. More →
The post Ep. 5 – A Hole in the Night appeared first on Nocturne.
Amanda Gefter is nocturnal. Really. Being an extreme night owl works for her in a lot of ways, especially since she makes her living as a writer. But her normal patterns are being shaken up by a new love in her life – the first day-dwelling guy she’s ever been with. Since their schedules overlap very little, Amanda needs to figure out how much of her relationship with the night she can keep, and how much she needs to change for love. More →
The post Ep. 4 – Alter Hours appeared first on Nocturne.
While working at night in the wilds of the Marin Headlands, baker Eduardo Morell witnesses the struggle between life and death. This struggle plays out all around us all the time, in ways both large and small. More →
The post Ep. 3 – What the Baker Saw appeared first on Nocturne.
What happens for a visually oriented person when the darkness of night takes away all of the reference points for making a memory? More →
The post Ep. 2 – Portal appeared first on Nocturne.
Nighttime feels different to different people. Some are at their most energized and creative, while others are a little creeped out. Which side of the night are you on? More →
The post Ep. 1 – Night Owls appeared first on Nocturne.
Nocturne will officially launch in the coming weeks. Here is a taste - hope you enjoy! More →
The post Ep. 0 – Welcome to the Night appeared first on Nocturne.