Rejected Religion Podcast

In Part 2, we move into modernity, where Rune discusses the impact of a radicalized Protestantism that has had a disruptive impact on animist traditions, and the negative psychological effects that a disconnection from the land can cause. We then move to a discussion of how we can experiment in different ways to re-traditionalize ourselves with this knowledge before delving into the more controversial issue of extremist groups appropriating animist symbology for racist and nationalistic agendas. In keeping with the modern theme, Rune offers a very interesting story of the troll Tyr and how he can help us relate to each other in better ways on the Internet. We close by talking a bit about Rune's various platforms, and his book about the Nordic Animist Year/ calendar that he created. 

PROGRAM NOTES:

Nordic Animism (NA) Website: Home Page (nordicanimism.com)

NA YouTube Channel: Nordic Animism - YouTube

NA Facebook: Nordic Animism | Facebook

NA Instagram: Nordic Animism (@nordic.animism) • Instagram-foto's en -video's

Graham Harvey Links: "Animism: Respecting the Living World" by Graham Harvey

Animism: Respecting the Living World: Harvey, Graham: 9780231137010: Amazon.com: Books

Irving Hallowell Links: Culture and Experience (Second Edition): A. Irving Hallowell: Amazon.com: Books

Bear ceremonialism in the northern hemisphere: Hallowell, A. Irving: Amazon.com: Books

Tyson Yunkaporta: Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World: Yunkaporta, Tyson: 9780062975645: Amazon.com: Books

The Nordic Animist Year THE NORDIC ANIMIST YEAR - Books and Calendars - NORDIC ANIMISM

Article "Ragnarok is Coming': RAGNAROK IS COMING! Nordic Scholars: Ancient Viking prophecy speaks to our time. (nordicanimism.com)

Theme Music: Daniel P. Shea

Other Music: Stephanie Shea

Cover art used with permission from www.nordicanimism.com 

In Part 1, Rune and I talk about what animism is and how we can understand it, especially in relation to other religions such as Heathenry and (Neo)Paganism. We also discuss why this animist knowledge was rejected in the first place by looking back in history, and Rune explains important animist concepts, such as Ragnarok and Yggdrasil (the world tree), and how these concepts are extremely important to an animist understanding of our world. 

PROGRAM NOTES:

Nordic Animism (NA) Website: Home Page (nordicanimism.com)

NA YouTube Channel: Nordic Animism - YouTube

NA Facebook: Nordic Animism | Facebook

NA Instagram: Nordic Animism (@nordic.animism) • Instagram-foto's en -video's

Graham Harvey Links: "Animism: Respecting the Living World" by Graham Harvey

Animism: Respecting the Living World: Harvey, Graham: 9780231137010: Amazon.com: Books

Irving Hallowell Links: Culture and Experience (Second Edition): A. Irving Hallowell: Amazon.com: Books

Bear ceremonialism in the northern hemisphere: Hallowell, A. Irving: Amazon.com: Books

Tyson Yunkaporta: Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World: Yunkaporta, Tyson: 9780062975645: Amazon.com: Books

The Nordic Animist Year THE NORDIC ANIMIST YEAR - Books and Calendars - NORDIC ANIMISM

Article "Ragnarok is Coming': RAGNAROK IS COMING! Nordic Scholars: Ancient Viking prophecy speaks to our time. (nordicanimism.com)

Theme Music: Daniel P. Shea

Other Music: Stephanie Shea

Cover art used with permission from www.nordicanimism.com 
 

In Part 2, we jump back in with a more controversial topic, that of John Lamb Lash, and how his interpretation of the concept of Gnosticism has become intertwined with the Mandela Effect. We explore whether or not conspiracy theories are dangerous to society, but also note their more playful quality as we re-visit the old pranksters, the Discordians. We then move on to the topic of memory, how memory affects history, how remembering something actually creates new experiences and can affect our future memories, and what the reward could possibly be for people who believe in the Mandela Effect. Aaron also shares some interesting content regarding a possible PRE-Mandela Effect, and we close with Aaron sharing some other information about his work as a writer and editor of fantasy fiction.

PROGRAM NOTES

Aaron J. French, "The Mandela Effect and New Memory" (99+) (PDF) The Mandela Effect and New Memory | Aaron French - Academia.edu

• "'The Mandela Effect' is the perfect film for our age of distrust and doubt" in The Conversation  'The Mandela Effect' is the perfect film for our age of distrust and doubt (theconversation.com

Erik Davis, High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies  High Weirdness | The MIT Press

Micheal Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America  A Culture of Conspiracy by Michael Barkun - Paperback - University of California Press (ucpress.edu)

Karen M. Douglas et al., "The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories" The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories (sagepub.com)

Jan-Willem van Prooijen & Mark van Vugt, "Conspiracy Theories: Evolved Functions and Psychological Mechanisms" Conspiracy Theories: Evolved Functions and Psychological Mechanisms (sagepub.com)

Matthew Dillon, "The Heretical Library: The Nag Hammadi in American Religion and Culture" The Heretical Revival: The Nag Hammadi Library in American Religion and Culture (rice.edu)

Trailer Steins;Gate Steins;Gate | Anime Trailer [HD] | 2011 - YouTube

Wiki fanpage Steins;Gate Steins;Gate Wiki | Fandom

Take the Mandela Effect Test HOME - Test Mandela Effect

Aaron J. French on Soundcloud Aaron J. French | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Aaron J. French Author Page Facebook Aaron J. French | Facebook

Theme Music: Daniel P. Shea

Other Music: Stephanie Shea

In Part 1, Aaron and I bring everyone up to speed on what the Mandela Effect (ME) is, where it comes from, and why it is an important area of research for the study of esotericism. We discuss examples of ME, found with book titles (Berenstein/Berenstain Bears), pop culture references (what did Darth Vader actually say to Luke Skywalker?), and how all of this affects our notions of reality and of our memory. We also talk about how Christian elements have come to interact with more esoteric concepts found within the cultic milieu.

PROGRAM NOTES

Aaron J. French, "The Mandela Effect and New Memory" (99+) (PDF) The Mandela Effect and New Memory | Aaron French - Academia.edu

• "'The Mandela Effect' is the perfect film for our age of distrust and doubt" in The Conversation  'The Mandela Effect' is the perfect film for our age of distrust and doubt (theconversation.com

Erik Davis, High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies  High Weirdness | The MIT Press

Micheal Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America  A Culture of Conspiracy by Michael Barkun - Paperback - University of California Press (ucpress.edu)

Karen M. Douglas et al., "The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories" The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories (sagepub.com)

Jan-Willem van Prooijen & Mark van Vugt, "Conspiracy Theories: Evolved Functions and Psychological Mechanisms" Conspiracy Theories: Evolved Functions and Psychological Mechanisms (sagepub.com)

Matthew Dillon, "The Heretical Library: The Nag Hammadi in American Religion and Culture" The Heretical Revival: The Nag Hammadi Library in American Religion and Culture (rice.edu)

Trailer Steins;Gate Steins;Gate | Anime Trailer [HD] | 2011 - YouTube

Wiki fanpage Steins;Gate Steins;Gate Wiki | Fandom

Take the Mandela Effect Test HOME - Test Mandela Effect

Aaron J. French on Soundcloud Aaron J. French | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Aaron J. French Author Page Facebook Aaron J. French | Facebook

Theme Music: Daniel P. Shea

Other Music: Stephanie Shea

Thumbnail image credit: www.gaia.com 

In Part 2, Christian discusses the influential Discordian trilogy of books called "Illuminatus!" and we make a little sidestep into discussion about how 'Bill and Ted' may or may not fit into the picture as we move throughout the 80s and 90s. We also talk about Discordianism's links to science fiction and fanzines, and Christian starts interviewing me at a certain point due to the topic of Furries that comes up in our conversation. We then discuss how Discordianism became a type of cyberculture and how hacking relates to it. Christian shares his ideas about the scholarly side of researching this group, and why 'being in conversation in a spirit of generosity' is important for researchers. 

PROGRAM NOTES

Academia.edu website Christian Greer: (99+) J. Christian Greer | Harvard Divinity School - Academia.edu

• (99+) (PDF) Discordianism | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu
• (99+) (PDF) Church of the SubGenius | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu
• (99+) (PDF) "Discordians Stick Apart" : The Institutional Turn within Contemporary Discordianism | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu
• (99+) (PDF) Religion Can't be a Joke, Right? | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu
• (99+) (PDF) [book review] Carole M. Cusack. Invented Religions: Imagination, Fiction and Faith. | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu

Carole Cusack, Invented Religions: Imagination, Fiction and Faith: Invented Religions: Imagination, Fiction and Faith: Cusack, Carole M: Amazon.nl

Erik Davis, High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies: High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies (The MIT Press): Davis, Erik: 9781907222870: Amazon.com: Books

Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America: A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America (Volume 15) (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society): Barkun, Michael: 9780520276826: Amazon.com: Books

David Chidester, Authentic Fakes: Religion and American Popular Culture: Amazon.com: Authentic Fakes: Religion and American Popular Culture (9780520242807): Chidester, David: Books

Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture: Huizinga, Johan: 9781621389996: Amazon.com: Books

Mikhail Baktin, Rabelais and His World : Rabelais and His World: Bakhtin, Mikhail: Amazon.nl

Aldous Huxley, The Doors of Perception: The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell: Huxley, Aldous: Amazon.com: Books

Adam Gorightly, Historia Discordia: Historia Discordia: the origins of the discordian society: Gorightly, Adam: Amazon.nl

Historia Disordia website: Historia Discordia – Documenting the Origins, History, and Chaos of the Discordian Society

Principia Discordia (online source): Principia Discordia | the book of Chaos, Discord and Confusion | Fnord!

Gnosis Magazine (online): Gnosis Magazine

Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson, The Illuminatus Trilogy: The Illuminatus! Trilogy: The Eye in the Pyramid, The Golden Apple, Leviathan: Robert Shea, Robert Anton Wilson: 9780440539810: Amazon.com: Books

Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test: The Electric Kool - Aid Acid Test: Tom Wolfe: 9780552993661: Amazon.com: Books

Adam Curtis article: Adam Curtis Explains It All | The New Yorker

Adam Curtis, "Can't Get You Out of My Head" - YouTube: Can't Get You Out of My Head (2021) - YouTube

Dr. Christian Greer's Instagram Page: JCG (@angelheadedhipstersarchive) • Instagram-foto's en -video's

'Visions of the Occult' Summer School Online Course Information: Summer course: Visions of the Occult - Introduction to Western Esotericism - History of Hermetic Philosophy (amsterdamhermetica.nl)

Podcast Theme: Daniel P. Shea

Other Music: Stephanie Shea

In Part 1, Christian will go into the history of the concept of laughter found in American religion/spirituality, as well as talking about the term 'psychedelicism' and the ways that psychedelics were viewed with regard to spiritual growth. We then get into the Discordians, their history, their ideas about chaos and hoaxes, and how Lee Harvey Oswald fits into the picture.

PROGRAM NOTES
Academia.edu website Christian Greer: (99+) J. Christian Greer | Harvard Divinity School - Academia.edu

• (99+) (PDF) Discordianism | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu
• (99+) (PDF) Church of the SubGenius | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu
• (99+) (PDF) "Discordians Stick Apart" : The Institutional Turn within Contemporary Discordianism | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu
• (99+) (PDF) Religion Can't be a Joke, Right? | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu
• (99+) (PDF) [book review] Carole M. Cusack. Invented Religions: Imagination, Fiction and Faith. | J. Christian Greer - Academia.edu

Carole Cusack, Invented Religions: Imagination, Fiction and Faith: Invented Religions: Imagination, Fiction and Faith: Cusack, Carole M: Amazon.nl

Erik Davis, High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies: High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies (The MIT Press): Davis, Erik: 9781907222870: Amazon.com: Books

Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America: A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America (Volume 15) (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society): Barkun, Michael: 9780520276826: Amazon.com: Books

David Chidester, Authentic Fakes: Religion and American Popular Culture: Amazon.com: Authentic Fakes: Religion and American Popular Culture (9780520242807): Chidester, David: Books

Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture: Huizinga, Johan: 9781621389996: Amazon.com: Books

Mikhail Baktin, Rabelais and His World : Rabelais and His World: Bakhtin, Mikhail: Amazon.nl

Aldous Huxley, The Doors of Perception: The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell: Huxley, Aldous: Amazon.com: Books

Adam Gorightly, Historia Discordia: Historia Discordia: the origins of the discordian society: Gorightly, Adam: Amazon.nl

Historia Disordia website: Historia Discordia – Documenting the Origins, History, and Chaos of the Discordian Society

Principia Discordia (online source): Principia Discordia | the book of Chaos, Discord and Confusion | Fnord!

Gnosis Magazine (online): Gnosis Magazine

Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson, The Illuminatus Trilogy: The Illuminatus! Trilogy: The Eye in the Pyramid, The Golden Apple, Leviathan: Robert Shea, Robert Anton Wilson: 9780440539810: Amazon.com: Books

Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test: The Electric Kool - Aid Acid Test: Tom Wolfe: 9780552993661: Amazon.com: Books

Adam Curtis article: Adam Curtis Explains It All | The New Yorker

Adam Curtis, "Can't Get You Out of My Head" - YouTube: Can't Get You Out of My Head (2021) - YouTube

Dr. Christian Greer's Instagram Page: JCG (@angelheadedhipstersarchive) • Instagram-foto's en -video's

'Visions of the Occult' Summer School Online Course Information: Summer course: Visions of the Occult - Introduction to Western Esotericism - History of Hermetic Philosophy (amsterdamhermetica.nl)

Podcast Theme: Daniel P. Shea

Other Music: Stephanie Shea

In Part 2, we jump right back into the 'dangerous' and terryifying aspects of contemplating 'the Other,' and this leads to discussing gateways that allow entitites to come through (does this account for accounts of high strangeness)? Thomas notes how Crowley's writings seem to contradict the notion that there is an 'Other,' as there is no duality in Crowley's thought. This leads into a brief discussion about the entities that one may encounter in anomalous events (for example, tulpas)- are these subjective or objective? The latter part of the conversation centers on scholarly approaches to all of this, our appreciation for Hellier as a powerful occultural product, and whether or not scholars could perhaps lend any insights to reseachers as they conduct their own fieldwork. 

EPISODE NOTES:

Rudolph Otto and The Numinous: (99+) (PDF) Rudolf Otto and the Concept of the Numinous | Stuart Ray Sarbacker - Academia.edu

Henri Corbin and the Mundus Imaginalis: MUNDUS IMAGINALIS OR THE IMAGINARY AND THE IMAGINAL (bahaistudies.net)

Bergson-Deleuze Encounters: Bergson-Deleuze Encounters: Transcendental Experience and the Thought of the Virtual: Moulard-Leonard, Valentine: Amazon.nl

Kenneth Grant and the Mauve Zone: Beyond the Mauve Zone: Grant, Kenneth: 9780952782452: Amazon.com: Books

Jeff Kripal & Whitley Strieber's The Super Natural: The Super Natural: A New Vision of the Unexplained: Strieber, Whitley, Kripal, Jeffrey J.: 9781101982327: Amazon.com: Books

• Otto and 'the numinous: pp. 45-46
• Myers and ‘the imaginal’: pp. 120-123

Allen Greenfield & The Secret Cipher: The Complete SECRET CIPHER Of the UfOnauts: Greenfield, Allen H., Phillips, Olav: 9781718645356: Amazon.com: Books

Regarding Tulpas: [PDF] Tracking the Tulpa | Semantic Scholar

(99+) (PDF) On Tulpas - An Analysis of Imagined Others | Arthur Juliani - Academia.edu

Diego Escolar: Boundaries of Anthropology: Empirics and Ontological Relativism in a Field Experience with Anomalous Luminous Entities in Argentina - ESCOLAR - 2012 - Anthropology and Humanism - Wiley Online Library

Rick Strassman & DMT: Rick Strassman MD – DMT: The Spirit Molecule

Robert Cabrales & ‘Occultural Accelerationism’:(99+) (PDF) Aesthetaphysicks and the Anti-Dialectical Hyperoccultation of Disenchanted Representation: Hyperstitional Esoterrorism as Occultural Accelerationism | Robert Elio Cabrales - Academia.edu

Hellier Documentary: Hellier: A Planet Weird Original Series

Penny Royal Podcast: Penny Royal Podcast – A New Podcast of Magic, Mystery and High Strangeness On The Penny Royal Plateau.

Episode Art: Stefan Keller

Podcast Theme: Daniel P. Shea

Other Music: Stephanie Shea

Part 1 of our roundtable discussion starts out with trying to tackle some major philosophical questions, such as the nature of "the Other", and how we can view reality. We then delve into the Star Sapphire or Blue Star Ritual that was brought up in the Hellier documentary - what it is, why would it be important for the team, what it's possible purpose may be, etc., and end this first part with a discussion about chaos magick and why this may be interesting area of exploration for the Hellier team. 

EPISODE NOTES:

Rudolph Otto and The Numinous: (99+) (PDF) Rudolf Otto and the Concept of the Numinous | Stuart Ray Sarbacker - Academia.edu

Henri Corbin and the Mundus Imaginalis: MUNDUS IMAGINALIS OR THE IMAGINARY AND THE IMAGINAL (bahaistudies.net)

Bergson-Deleuze Encounters: Bergson-Deleuze Encounters: Transcendental Experience and the Thought of the Virtual: Moulard-Leonard, Valentine: Amazon.nl

Kenneth Grant and the Mauve Zone: Beyond the Mauve Zone: Grant, Kenneth: 9780952782452: Amazon.com: Books

Jeff Kripal & Whitley Strieber's The Super Natural: The Super Natural: A New Vision of the Unexplained: Strieber, Whitley, Kripal, Jeffrey J.: 9781101982327: Amazon.com: Books

• Otto and 'the numinous: pp. 45-46
• Myers and ‘the imaginal’: pp. 120-123

Allen Greenfield & The Secret Cipher: The Complete SECRET CIPHER Of the UfOnauts: Greenfield, Allen H., Phillips, Olav: 9781718645356: Amazon.com: Books

Regarding Tulpas: [PDF] Tracking the Tulpa | Semantic Scholar

(99+) (PDF) On Tulpas - An Analysis of Imagined Others | Arthur Juliani - Academia.edu

Diego Escolar: Boundaries of Anthropology: Empirics and Ontological Relativism in a Field Experience with Anomalous Luminous Entities in Argentina - ESCOLAR - 2012 - Anthropology and Humanism - Wiley Online Library

Rick Strassman & DMT: Rick Strassman MD – DMT: The Spirit Molecule

Robert Cabrales & ‘Occultural Accelerationism’:(99+) (PDF) Aesthetaphysicks and the Anti-Dialectical Hyperoccultation of Disenchanted Representation: Hyperstitional Esoterrorism as Occultural Accelerationism | Robert Elio Cabrales - Academia.edu

Hellier Documentary: Hellier: A Planet Weird Original Series

Penny Royal Podcast: Penny Royal Podcast – A New Podcast of Magic, Mystery and High Strangeness On The Penny Royal Plateau.

Episode Art: Stefan Keller

Podcast Theme: Daniel P. Shea

Other Music: Stephanie Shea

In preparation for next month's mini-roundtable discussion about' Hellier' and everything 'high strangeness', this episode will attempt to lay a foundation about the documentary 'Hellier,' the podcast 'Penny Royal,' and 'everything else' that seems to be connected to these phenomena - Secret Ciphers, magick rituals and gateways, the Mothman incident, Twin Peaks, and more. 

RESOURCES

'Hellier' Season 1: Hellier Season 1: Episode 1 | The Midnight Children - YouTube

'Hellier' Season 2: Hellier Season 2: Episode 1 | Noise and Signal - YouTube

'Penny Royal' Podcast: Penny Royal Podcast – A New Podcast of Magic, Mystery and High Strangeness On The Penny Royal Plateau.

The Secret History of Twin Peaks by Mark Frost: Amazon.com: The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel (9781250075581): Frost, Mark: Books

Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier by Mark Frost: Amazon.com: Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier (9781250163301): Frost, Mark: Books

The Mothman Prophecies by John Keel: Amazon.com: The Mothman Prophecies: A True Story (9780765334985): Keel, John A.: Books

The Complete Secret Cipher of the UFOnauts by Allen Greenfield: The Complete SECRET CIPHER Of the UfOnauts: Greenfield, Allen H., Phillips, Olav: 9781718645356: Amazon.com: Books

The Super Natural: A New Vision of the Unexplained by Whitley Strieber and Jeffrey J. Kripal: The Super Natural: A New Vision of the Unexplained: Strieber, Whitley, Kripal, Jeffrey J.: 9781101982327: Amazon.com: Books

The Morning of the Magicians by Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier: The Morning of the Magicians: Secret Societies, Conspiracies, and Vanished Civilizations: Pauwels, Louis, Bergier, Jacques: 9781594772313: Amazon.com: Books
 

Cover image: Hellier: A Planet Weird Original Series  

Theme music: Daniel P. Shea

Additional music: Stephanie Shea

In this Bonus Episode, Pat and I deep-dive into the workings of the Celtic Wheel, that Pat refers to as "a companion on the pilgrimage of life." This discussion is not so much about rituals, but more about the spiritual concepts that Pat has gleaned from her experiences with Celtic Spirituality. Our informal exchange focuses on each season, and the special gifts that each month brings.

EPISODE NOTES:
Website Mara Freeman: Chalice Centre | Celtic & Western Magical Traditions

The Celtic Sacred Year: Celtic Sacred Year (chalicecentre.net)

Website John O'Donohue: Works (johnodonohue.com)