This episode’s guest is the musician and author Gary Lachman. That is a vast understatement for someone who has been inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame as a founding member of Blondie and, has, in a separate career, published over 25+ books on consciousness, the occult and the western esoteric traditions.
I first approached Gary to discuss his book Dreaming Ahead of Time, a work that has had a profound impact on me, in both my waking and dreaming life.
In the time between that first request and our interview, the focus shifted.
If you’re a regular listener of this podcast, you might have noticed that the city of Los Angeles, my adopted home, its people, and its stories have been surfacing throughout these most recent episodes — specifically the episodes with Ronnie Pontiac and Edward O.
One of the places that has stepped into view is the Bodhi Tree, a metaphysical bookstore that was a hub for the New Age movement in Los Angeles from its opening in 1970 to its closure in 2012— its legacy still reverberates through many great thinkers of this city.
For years, Gary was at the center of this scene. He talks about his time at the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in his memoir, Touched by the Presence.
This was the spark for our discussion — but, as conversations do, this one took on a life of its own.
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About Gary
Gary Lachman is the author of many books on consciousness, culture, and the western esoteric tradition, including Turn Off Your Mind: The Mystic Sixties and the Dark Side of the Aquarian Age, Aleister Crowley: Magick, Rock and Roll, and the Wickedest Man in the World, Beyond the Robot: The Life and Work of Colin Wilson, and The Secret Teachers of the Western World. In a past life he was a founding member of the rock group Blondie and in 2006 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Recent Book: Touched By The Presence
Touched By The Presence - The Film
About Vivi
Vivi Henriette is an LA-based astrologer and tarot reader whose practice centers on storytelling, mythology, and collaborative divination. She creates a space for clients to reclaim their personal narratives through the lens of ancient archetypes. Vivi produces LA Astro Fest, hosts the Los Angeles Astro Salon, and is the creator of the podcast TalkTalkTalk. You can find her weekly writing on ritual and meaning right here on ART of the ZODIAC.
