A yoga move that turns into a nightmare. An ecological-esoteric cult with anti-Semitic content. The podcast “Soulcatcher” from Bayerischer Rundfunk is about sects of this type.
One of the cover photos of the podcast Photo: BR/Giulia Bochnig
Who can capture souls? And how do you then keep these souls captive, so to speak, put them under your spell? And how do they free themselves? The podcast “Soulcatcher” from Bayerischer Rundfunk asks exactly these questions again and again. In four seasons now, various teams of journalists are on the trail of so-called soul catchers, including sects or other groups. Their stories are processed together with those affected.
Podcast “Soul Catcher” reveals anti-Semitic esotericism
At the start, the reporters focus on the Anastasia cult, an ecological-esoteric movement that is widespread in Russia and Germany. Their ideology is based on a series of novels by the Russian author Vladimir Megre with esoteric-spiritual, conspiracy ideological and anti-Semitic content.
The second season continues with the “Integrated Community”, a now-defunct apostolic association in the Roman Catholic Church. Founded in the post-war years by married couple Traudl and Herbert Wallbrecher, the integrated community saw itself as an organ of departure for the Roman Catholic Church. which referred to “early Christianity”.
The community lived in communities reminiscent of kibbutzes. At their peak there were over 1000 members. After repeated allegations of violence and abuse of power, the Catholic Church initiated investigations in 2010.
Podcast “Soul Catcher” reports on dangerous yoga movements
The third season discusses the Korean Christian sect Shincheonji, in German: “New Heaven, New Earth” and under the heading “Toxic Tantra”, season 4 is about how a yoga movement became a nightmare for women.
The podcast is like a crime thriller and is well structured and captivatingly told thanks to the content and form of the investigative reporters. Through intensive engagement with dropouts, contemporary witnesses and documents, the four research projects captivate listeners.
“Soul Catcher” is a podcast from Bavarian Radio and can be heard in the ARD Audiothek and wherever podcasts are available.
