エピソード

  • This is a reading of "I Met God at a Festival" published on the Mystics and Muons Substack, wherein I reflect on my peak experiences at ARKADIA, a festival put on by Fit For Service. These experiences involved profound connections with others who served as manifestations of the ineffable divine, a force of which we all are a part. These experiences were more profound and transformative than those I experienced within religion, in fact serving to heal many of the wounds I picked up from religion. My experiences at ARKADIA led me to understand how to heal in community, to trust your partner and self, to connect with other men, to heal wounds from an absent father, to let go of judgment, and the find a sacred union with a partner. I hope you enjoy.

    Links

    https://mysticsandmuons.substack.com/p/i-met-god-at-a-festival

    Here for the esoteric origins of Mormonism? Check out

    Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    Here for the science and spirituality? Check out:

    Interview with Donald Hoffman

    Interview with Bernardo Kastrup

    Discussion with Bernardo Kastrup on Entropy

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction

    02:08 Healing in Community

    05:22 Learning to Trust

    17:50 Connecting as Men

    25:09 Healing the Father Wound

    29:02 Judging Not

    36:45 Sacred Union

  • Phil McLemore shares his journey from Catholicism to Mormonism to a deeper spiritual practice through an awakening mediated by meditation and yoga. He discusses his experiences with Catholicism and the doubts that led him to explore other religions. He explains how he found Mormonism and how it initially provided him with a sense of purpose and transformation. Eventually after a severe accident and ineffective priesthood blessings, he turned to meditation for relief from chronic pain.

    Through meditation, he had a spiritual awakening and a deeper understanding of the true nature of God. He also discusses the limitations of Mormonism and the lack of emphasis on inner spirituality within the church. The conversation explores the idea that there is an infinite, formless, and changeless reality that constitutes the essence of our being. The purpose of life is to discover and awaken to this reality, which requires direct experience and knowledge beyond the mind. The integration of this formless reality into the world of form is seen as essential for the full realization of the purpose of life.

    The conversation explores the balance between personal exploration and guidance in spiritual journeys, the potential benefits and drawbacks of psychedelics, and the integration of mystical experiences into daily life. Gabe and Phil discuss the importance of character development and Christ-like living as the ultimate goal of spiritual awakening. They also touch on the misinterpretation of mystical experiences and the need for discerning integration. The conversation concludes with a focus on the integration of the kingdom of God within oneself and among others.

    Phil's Written Works:

    Becoming the Beloved

    Hindering the Saints - Taking Away the Key of Knowledge

    The Yoga of Christ

    Phil's Facebook Group:

    Inner Path

    Here for the esoteric origins of Mormonism? Check out

    Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    Here for the science and spirituality? Check out:

    Interview with Donald Hoffman

    Interview with Bernardo Kastrup

    Discussion with Bernardo Kastrup on Entropy

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction

    01:42 Phil's Background in Catholicism

    06:04 Religion's Burden on Children

    07:44 Phil's Introduction to Buddhism

    08:58 Phil's Life in Mormonism as a CES Employee and Military Chaplain

    11:39 Phil's Work in Apologetics

    15:52 Phil's Injury, Chronic Pain, and Ineffective Priesthood Blessings

    17:55 Being Rescued from Chronic Pain by Meditation and Yoga

    21:28 Spiritual Experiences in Mormonism versus Mystical Experiences in Meditation

    23:48 Mormonism's Conceptualization of God versus Direct Experience

    25:30 Did Joseph Smith have Mystical Experiences?

    31:44 Learning with Deepak Chopra and Teaching Mormons the Meditative Path

    36:16 Transition from Orthodox Mormonism to Christian Mysticism

    39:19 Why is Meditation not Taught in Mormonism?

    44:34 Have the Modern Day Apostles and Prophets had Mystical Experiences?

    47:00 What is Awakening?

    55:30 What do Mystical Experiences Feel Like?

    01:03:20 Rethinking Atonement and Resurrection

    01:11:29 Gradual versus Sudden Spiritual Awakenings

    01:13:42 How Mystical Experiences Feel Somatically

    01:18:24 Suffering as a Catalyst for Awakening

    01:19:18 Morality, Substances, Polyamory and Spiritual Paths

    01:31:47 Our Innate Divine Ability to Find the Right Path

    01:33:18 Psychedelics

    01:44:54 Intention, Interpretation of Experience, and Integration

    01:50:57 Joseph Smith's Integration of his Spiritual Experiences

    01:52:25 Second Comforter and End Times Groups, and the Dangers of Seeking Mystical Experiences

    02:00:30 Phil's Summary and Closing Advice, The Kingdom of God, Christ

  • エピソードを見逃しましたか?

    フィードを更新するにはここをクリックしてください。

  • Gabe and Stephen discuss Plato as an influence for Joseph Smith and Mormonism. Stephen describes his journey tracing the roots of Mormonism, and how that led him to research Plato and Christian Platonism. They also discuss defining hermeticism, as well as the possibility that Plato and Joseph Smith were drawing from the same perfect form of spiritual philosophy and adapting it in their own way, rather than Plato necessarily influencing Joseph Smith. Finally, they discuss whether this parallel between Platonism and Mormonism is faith affirming or faith challenging.

    Links

    Stephen's Presentation - Joseph Smith and the Ancient Religion: Or Where Was Zerahemla

    https://alexandria.ucsb.edu/downloads/v118rd789

    Stephen's Dissertation - The Fulness of the Gospel: Christian Platonism and the Origins of Mormonism

    Here for the esoteric origins of Mormonism? Check out

    Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    Here for the science and spirituality? Check out:

    Interview with Donald Hoffman

    Interview with Bernardo Kastrup

    Discussion with Bernardo Kastrup on Entropy

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Stephen's Background

    05:08 Gabe's Exposure to Philosophy at BYU and his Ensuing Faith Crisis

    06:14 Tracing Mormonism's Roots

    09:02 The Refiner's Fire by John Brooke

    14:03 The Challenges of Defining Hermeticism

    17:02 The Problem with Presentism

    21:03 The Unifying Potential of the Mystical Experience in Understanding History

    25:12 Have We Cut Ourselves off from Gnosis Today?

    28:19 Plato

    31:44 Defining Neoplatonism

    34:50 Theurgy

    36:08 Love-Hate Relationship Between Plato and Christianity

    39:17 Platonic Influence on Joseph Smith

    44:35 The Divide Between God and Man, Christ as Savior vs Christ as Way-Shower

    52:16 Quaker Beliefs on Christ as a Mystic

    54:30 Did Plato Influence Joseph Smith, or Did They Both Access the Same Space?

    56:47 Mystical Experiences

    01:07:25 Paradoxes and Plato's Cave

    01:09:50 Plato and Joseph Smith - Faith Affirming or Deconstructing?

    01:13:05 If Christ Showed up Today, Would he be more Platonist, Buddhist, or Christian?

    01:21:44 Stephen's Spiritual Experiences

    01:23:48 Is Mormonism a Religion, or is it "All Truth"?

    01:32:40 Following your Intuition

  • I'm joined this episode with the creators behind EntheoMagus, Cody Noconi, Brandon Crockett, and Alex Criddle. EntheoMagus is a short documentary exploring the indications that entheogens, or psychedelics, were used in early Mormonism, particularly in the group experiences in Kirtland, OH. We discuss Cody, Brandon, and Alex's backgrounds, where they stand with regard to Mormonism, and their motivation behind this project.

    We also discuss the basics behind psychedelics and what is known as the mystical experience, a state of consciousness that is accessible both through endogenous (without substances) as well as exogenous (with substances) means.

    I ask them the spiritual implications behind psychedelics producing this experience, as well as the implications for Mormonism, if this is true. Many view the idea that psychedelics were used to be discounting the spirituality behind Mormonism, or to be cheapening spiritual experiences, but we discuss how that isn't the case.

    EntheoMagus is a short film on the road to the goal of a more involved production. It will be shown in Salt Lake City, UTon 4/27/24, 4/28/24, and 4/29/24 and in Portland, OR on 5/11/24. Get your tickets below.

    Links

    EntheoMagus Website

    Alex Criddle's Website

    Here for the esoteric origins of Mormonism? Check out

    Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    Here for the science and spirituality? Check out:

    Interview with Donald Hoffman

    Interview with Bernardo Kastrup

    Discussion with Bernardo Kastrup on Entropy

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction

    00:57 Brandon Crockett

    07:01 Alex Criddle

    11:44 Cody Noconi

    16:28 The Mystical Experience

    22:09 Interpreting Spiritual or Mystical Experiences

    25:14 Our Mind as a Filter

    27:06 Cross Cultural Mystical Experiences

    29:23 Taking a Holistic Approach to Understanding Mystical Experiences with Science and Spirituality

    35:30 Implications for Mormonism if Entheogens/Psychedelics were used

    38:07 Psychedelics and Spirituality, The Good Friday Experiment

    42:53 Clark Heinrich's Mystical Experience with Amanita Muscaria

    46:41 The Problems with Dismissing Psychedelics as Hallucinations or Shortcuts

    49:51 Gabe's Endogenous Mystical Experience

    51:53 Can We Trust Mystical/Psychedelic Experiences?

    55:19 Consensus Reality and Interpreting Psychedelic Experiences

    01:02:22 Recontextualizing and Finding Meaning in Mormonism

    01:04:57 Accessing Revelation and Mystical Experiences

    01:07:00 The Problem with Prophets and the Shamanic Initiation Crisis

    01:10:00 The Importance of Recognizing your Perspective and Bias

    01:11:09 How Objective are Psychedelic Experiences?

    01:13:28 Rupert Spira and Dreams as a Model for the Intersubjective Nature of Reality

    01:19:09 Does it Matter if Joseph Smith used Psychedelics/Entheogens?

    01:21:59 Folk Magic, the Occult, and Substances to Alter Consciousness

    01:26:11 Is there Evidence of Entheogens in Early Mormonism?

    01:30:06 EntheoMagus

  • Michael Levin joins me to discuss the intersection of computation, biology, and philosophy. We explore different perspectives on reality, the concept of selfhood, and the behavior of cancer cells. We discuss what implications understanding cancer can have on uniting humanity.
    Mike discusses the importance of recognizing and valuing different forms of intelligence and the challenges of predicting the goals of collective systems. He explains the concept of collective intelligence and the challenges of uniting humans as well as the ethics of forced collectivism.
    We then discuss AI, consciousness, and ethics, highlighting the need for principled frameworks to navigate these complex issues. I discuss concept of portals of consciousness from the perspective of idealism, and the issue of whether consciousness is substrate independent.

    Here for the esoteric origins of Mormonism? Check out
    Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:
    Here for the science and spirituality? Check out:
    Interview with Donald Hoffman
    Interview with Bernardo Kastrup
    Discussion with Bernardo Kastrup on Entropy

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters
    00:00 Utilizing Multiple Perspectives in Science
    02:41 Exploring Perspectives on Reality and Consciousness
    04:37 Challenging Assumptions in Science
    09:56 AI and Consciousness
    18:00 Ethics Informed by Understanding Selfhood
    22:44 Cancer as a Distortion of Cells' Selfhood
    25:52 Balancing Interests Within Collective Intelligences
    33:51 Collective Intelligences and the Implications for Relationships
    38:14 AI, Consciousness, and Ethics
    52:48 Idealism and Substrate Independent Consciousness

  • This conversation discusses Mike's time at FAIR as an apologist, and then his faith crisis and departure from Mormonism, as well as his own personal spiritual journey. Mike's interest lies in researching other branches of Mormonism, including fundamentalist groups, and Gnostic groups.

    We discuss John W Bryant, who left Mormonism after converting, serving a mission. He then joined the Apostolic United Brethren, but parted ways with them after receiving visions of church leaders, from which he reports to have received the Second Anointing. His group later transformed into a more liberal, feminist group, and started a commune in Nevada. He then reported being ordained in a sexual ordinance by the wife of one of the Three Nephites to the higher light of Christ. Now, they've evolved to a more mythologically minded blend of Eastern spirituality, including yoga, meditation, and artistic creativity during their services.

    We also discuss Archie Wood, who started the True Gnostic Church and wrote extensive scripture, including conceptualizing God as mankind's evolution into the future, who has returned back to communicate with us. Archie subsequently left his church, though there is an effort to preserve his works.

    Finally, we discuss the Knights of the Crystal Blade, a cult formed by John Coltharp, one of the missionaries Gabe knew on his mission.

    Links:

    Mike's Presentation on Gnostic Mormonism

    Here for the esoteric origins of Mormonism? Check out

    Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    Here for the science and spirituality? Check out:

    Interview with Donald Hoffman

    Interview with Bernardo Kastrup

    Discussion with Bernardo Kastrup on Entropy

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Rebranding

    06:43 Mike LeCheminant's Background

    10:02 FAIR and Apologetics

    13:42 Joseph Smith as a Fallen Prophet

    18:04 Spirituality After Mormonism

    20:53 Redefining God

    25:21 Deconstruction and Myth

    36:54 Mike's Exploration of other Churches

    39:39 Psychedelics in Religion

    44:54 John W Bryant and the Gnostic Temple of the Pearl

    49:22 Channeling, Automatic Writing, and Scripture

    56:38 Gnosticism

    01:16:05 Mormonism's Individuation Process

    01:22:16 The Motivations of Prophets

    01:31:46 Knights of the Crystal Blade

    01:39:43 Archie Wood and the True Gnostic Church

    01:53:09 Leaving the Apologetic Community

  • Bernardo joins me to explore the themes of engaging with others, taking the long view, and the nature of knowledge. We discuss the balance between engaging with trolls, responding to skeptics, and collaborating with like-minded individuals. The importance of focusing on the silent audience and the long-term impact of ideas is emphasized.

    We also discuss my essay, and book in progress, recontextualizing entropy as a reflection of the bandwidth constraints of consciousness and our subjective experience. We discuss the need to unlearn what we thought we knew and challenge assumptions, as well as the role of perspective in understanding reality. The conversation explores the concept of entropy and the subjective nature of measuring it, as well as the assumptions upon which the current framework of thermodynamics rest, namely an objective physical world separate from observers. The discussion touches on the work of Sabine Hossenfelder and Stephen Wolfram, including his work on computational irreducibility and the Ruliad. The idea of computational irreducibility and the limitations of our perspective in understanding the true nature of the universe are explored.

    Finally, we discuss following the purpose life has for us, and the process of being broken by what we think is the path we are meant to be on. Bernardo shares his insights from his own journey, including the liberation that comes from realizing that life is not about the individual self.

    My essay on entropy at Essentia’s website: https://www.essentiafoundation.org/entropy-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/reading/
    An unabridged version on my Substack: https://mysticsandmuons.substack.com/p/entropy-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder

    If you're new to the podcast and interested in Mormonism's esoteric origins, check out Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    If you're new and interested in the nature of reality, check out Episode 18 with Donald Hoffman, or Episode 21 with Bernardo Kastrup:

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters
    00:00 Introduction
    04:06 Engaging in Dialogue vs Engaging with Trolls
    17:55 Finding One's Calling and Taking the Long View
    26:28 Recontextualizing Entropy
    29:36 Entropy and its Prior Assumptions
    33:28 Finding One's Dharma
    34:52 Thomas Kuhn and Plato's Cave as a Metaphor for Scientific Revolutions
    41:46 Sabine Hossenfelder's Challenge of Entropy as a Physicalist
    47:25 Causality
    54:45 Myth and it's Utility, Even in Science
    01:05:25 Mysticism and Science, The Relationality of the Universe
    01:14:22 Stephen Wolfram, Computational Irreducibility, and the Ruliad
    01:29:04 Are there fundamental
    01:38:24 The Rulial Space of Conscious Experience and Data Management Strategies
    01:46:50 Can the Rules of Reality Change?
    01:53:28 Interpreting and Integrating Mystical Experiences
    02:04:49 Finding Our Role in the Ecosystem of the Universe
    02:09:09 Life Breaks You Open
    02:12:58 Nihilism and Meaning

  • Gabe and Keith discuss various topics related to personal growth, Oregon's Measure 109 legalizing psilocybin services, and the state of the world. They explore the concept of sovereignty and the importance of taking responsibility for one's own life. They also discuss the symbolism of events and the power of perspective. The conversation emphasizes the interconnectedness of individuals and the role of love and integration in creating a better world. The conversation explores love, and the concept of good and evil. It also discusses the shift out of dualistic thinking.

    Links

    www.KeithGilmore.com

    New to the podcast? Make sure you watch Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    https://youtu.be/5YBeMrR1seM

    https://open.substack.com/pub/mormonsmysticsandmuons/p/mormonism-psychedelics-quantum-physics

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Background

    03:56 Keith's Role as President of the Portland Psychedelic Society

    07:14 Oregon's Measure 109 - Psilocybin Services

    14:55 Significance of Expected MDMA and Psilocybin Legalization Within Therapy

    22:45 Paradoxes, Polarities, and Finding Balance

    28:24 The Sovereignty of Perspective

    36:46 Finding Meaning

    45:24 Different Substitutes for Meaning

    51:39 Seeing Each Other as Brothers and Sisters, Healing the World by Healing Yourself

    58:10 Idealism and Ethics

    01:04:21 Danger of Dogma

    01:06:47 Being Good Through Integration

    01:12:30 Defining Evil

    01:20:49 The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and Duality

    01:23:09 Baby's Splitting of Mother = Humanity's Splitting of God

    01:25:41 Shifting from Dualistic Thinking

    01:27:09 Conclusion

  • Gabe and River discuss topics related to idealism, consciousness, and the nature of reality. They explore River's paper on idealism and its connection to Stephen Wolfram's work, as well as Gabe's experiences with Kundalini awakening and his exploration of entropy. They discuss different perspectives on the Ruliad and consciousness, the nature of time and the past, and the value of embracing paradox and limitations. The role of chaos and order in consciousness is examined, along with the connection between information and relationships. The discussion also touches on the cyclical nature of materialism and the incompleteness of models. The relationship between quantum mechanics and consciousness is discussed, as well as the role of AI in the collective consciousness. The future of consciousness are also examined, along with the dream as a model of consciousness. The conversation explores the grand purpose of life and the practical implications of finding meaning and purpose.

    River's Work:

    Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/RiverKanies - @RiverKanies

    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/river-kanies-95706389/

    Podcast:

    Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6jwZYOYh6r0vFNvSzE2jO4

    Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-am-stupid/id1664884643

    CyberMonk App:

    iOS - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cybermonk/id6471553744

    web - https://app.cybermonk.art/

    android - [coming soon]

    New to the podcast? Make sure you watch Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    https://youtu.be/5YBeMrR1seM

    https://open.substack.com/pub/mormonsmysticsandmuons/p/mormonism-psychedelics-quantum-physics

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    00:00 Introduction

    03:30 River's Paper on Idealism and Wolfram's Work

    07:38 Gabe's Kundalini Awakening

    11:14 Entropy as an Artifact of Observers' Computational Bounds

    22:15 Reality: Exploring the Computational Space of all Conscious Experiences

    26:21 Computational Bounds and the Ruliad

    31:24 Observers Exist within the Ruliad as Perspectives

    33:19 Time as the Iteration through Permutations of Conscious Experience

    37:07 Photogrammetry as a Model of Models of Reality

    39:55 Seeing and Hearing in 2D, but Upsampling to 3D

    41:44 Embracing Paradox and the Value of Limitations

    43:54 Identifying not as the Query in the Infinite Database, but the Coder

    49:43 The Intersubjective Nature of Reality

    57:27 Ordering Chaos Through Dimensions

    01:00:36 Limits of Reductionism due to the Balance of Order and Chaos

    01:04:30 The Computational View vs. Reductionism

    01:06:52 Using Recursion to Colonize the Ruliad

    01:09:57 Quantum Physics as the Divine Spark

    01:13:16 Information and Models Must be Ordered Hierarchically

    01:23:14 The Trajectory of Consciousness

    01:25:48 The Role of AI in Consciousness

    01:31:05 Dreams Illustrate the Substrate Independence of Consciousness

    01:35:40 Assembly Theory

    01:37:55 The Learning Process of Reality

    01:41:54 Dreams as a Roadmap for the Future of Consciousness

    01:47:43 The Meaning of Existence

    01:51:28 The Death of Meaning, and Meaning on the Other Side of Nihilism

    01:52:45 Setting Collective Meaning

    01:57:37 Finding Meaning in Suffering

    02:02:03 AI as a Catalyst for Change

    02:07:51 The Only Free Will we have is what Perspective to Adopt

    02:12:32 Perspective is the Difference between Armageddon and the Millennium

    02:14:56 Polarities are Necessary

    02:15:51 Seeking to Catalyze Change for Others, Rather than Seeking to Change Them

    02:18:25 Embody Change Rather than Evangelize

    02:19:59 CyberMonk App

    02:21:22 Reality as a Conversation Between its Parts

  • Bernardo Kastrup, with PhDs in both philosophy and computer engineering, joins me in a wide-ranging discussion on reality. We discuss the concept of truth, how we use models to understand reality, and the illusion that we've figured it all, or even can. We explore dreams and dissociative identity disorder as models for a deeper understanding of reality through the lens of idealism. We discuss the religious nature with which some espouse atheism, how ethics emerge from idealism, and the problem of evil.

    Links

    Check out Bernardo's work with Essentia Foundation, dedicated to furthering scientific exploration of consciousness and reality past the clutches of materialism.

    BernardoKastrup.com

    Gabe's essay "Entropy is in the Eye of of the Beholder" - Essentia Foundation or Substack (Unabridged)

  • We're taught that man was created in God's image. The more I heal as a father, the more I realize that wounded fathers and mothers created God in their own image.

    This is a reading of the most recent post on the Mormons, Mystics, and Muons Substack.

    Links:

    Mormons, Mystics, and Muons Substack

  • This episode is a presentation given at the Mormonism and Western Esotericism's Facebook group fall conference. The focus is on integrating the different approaches to explaining Mormonism, including freemasonry, magic, entheogens, neoplatonism, an orthodox interpretation, and the pious fraud narrative. By moving away from a black and white approach, where one narrative is the predominant explanation, and instead integrating all of these perspectives, one gets a much more coherent narrative of Mormonism's origins.

    For a much more deeper dive on an integration of these narratives, see episode 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3geZJmA7faDgyvnV09hit7?si=53e5beed765a48c6

    Full conference: https://youtu.be/wRgP80ez1t0?si=9_A07SKjoA87Ho88

  • Donald Hoffman discusses his work as a cognitive neuroscientist, exploring how consciousness is fundamental instead of matter, and how evolutionary theory itself indicates that we don't perceive reality objectively, but instead have constructed space and time as an interface into a deeper fundamental reality. He discusses his journey integrating science and spirituality, as well as pushback he's gotten from others within the science community because his work calls into question the fundamental tenets their theories have been built upon. Check the TED talk and Lex Fridman links below for shallow and deep dives into his work.

    TED Talk - https://youtu.be/oYp5XuGYqqY?si=1ciPZmeFLNp-Nuj4

    Lex Fridman interview - https://youtu.be/reYdQYZ9Rj4?si=CWs1yyk59Je3B40K

  • Grant Palmer wrote in 2013, and stated on Mormon Stories, that he had a general authority who had lost his testimony. After both Palmer and the general authority had passed, John Dehlin revealed in 2020 that the general authority was F. Enzio Busche, an emeritus member of the first quorum of the 70. However, one Redditor had tracked down and spoke with Enzio Busche years earlier. That encounter not only challenged Palmer's narrative, but also revealed that, rather than having lost his testimony of Mormonism, Enzio Busche instead held esoteric or New Age beliefs, including that Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ were "ascended masters." This episodes covers the relevant posts related to this story.

    Links

    Screenshot of John Dehlin's post explaining his motivation - https://i.redd.it/0f58oop23o751.jpg

    Grant Palmer's account of his meetings with Busche - https://journeyofloyaldissent.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/6/

    Reddit comment by one who found Busche years before the disclosure - https://www.reddit.com/r/mormon/comments/7ihkil/i_have_been_asked_why_i_wrote_a_letter_to_an/

    Additional Reddit comment by the same individual after the disclosure - https://www.reddit.com/r/mormon/comments/hgef3i/f_enzio_busche/

    New to the podcast? Make sure you watch Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    https://youtu.be/5YBeMrR1seM

    https://open.substack.com/pub/mormonsmysticsandmuons/p/mormonism-psychedelics-quantum-physics

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters

    00:00 Grant Palmer and Dehlin's Reveal

    02:27 F. Enzio Busche's Spiritual Beliefs

    05:03 Grant Palmer's Report of Meetings with Busche

    10:08 Reddit Posts about Busche's Beliefs

    13:23 Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ as Ascended Masters

    18:45 Busche Challenging Palmer's Account

    23:10 Reddit Post about Busche's Belief from a Second Hand Account of a Former Missionary Under Busche

    25:56 What do the Authorities Believe?

    31:00 Recontextualizing Spiritual Experiences

    37:05 Conclusion

  • Gabe is interviewed by Valentina from the Stories of Awakening podcast on his journey from Mormonism, through agnosticism, to integrating science and spirituality. He discusses his childhood, the influence of Mormonism's emphasis on morality, and the shifts that began during his divorce and dive into psychology. He also describes the unexpected mystical experiences he experienced in what matches the eastern concept of a kundalini awakening.

    Check out Episode 6 for a comparison of Gabe's experience with a scientific journal article on people's self reported spontaneous spiritual awakenings or kundalini awakenings:https://open.spotify.com/episode/5H7eRqqE3D5iapoJTTqunz?si=-K95df7pQNyRQuTqd-Ykhw

    New to the podcast? Make sure you watch Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/3geZJmA7faDgyvnV09hit7?si=Kh4OfwetT62GIZKCClhgGQ

    https://open.substack.com/pub/mormonsmysticsandmuons/p/mormonism-psychedelics-quantum-physics

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Check out Valentina's podcast:

    Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5tVlxcXEMWAuK6m0SGG3Rt

    Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-of-awakening/id1668076703

    Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@valentinamarulli9526

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction

    03:14 Hesitancy Sharing Mystical Experiences

    10:15 The Importance of Sharing Experiences

    11:48 Start of Interview

    14:04 The Influence of Mormonism

    15:22 Mormonism's Rules on Morality

    17:30 Family Life

    19:42 Childhood Trauma

    23:08 Rules and Self Regulation

    25:51 Childhood Shame

    28:33 Intellectualizing vs Spirituality

    31:05 Mormon Mission

    33:23 College, Dental School, Marriage

    35:13 Leaving Mormonism

    39:15 Losing your Moral and Spiritual Framework

    46:22 Intuition During Agnosticism

    51:01 Exploring Psychology

    58:35 Kundalini Awakening Experiences

    01:01:18 Involuntary Contractions/Kriyas

    01:03:03 Sensation of Kundalini Energy in the Spine

    01:06:04 Less Need of Sleep

    01:10:52 Bliss States

    01:14:23 Downloads

    01:16:09 Carl Jung on Kundalini

    01:18:25 Visual Experiences

    01:22:25 Difficulty Interpreting and Integrating Experiences

    01:24:34 Lucid Dreaming and Life as a Dream

    01:29:16 Derealization and Solipsism

    01:30:09 Synchronicity with "Waking Life" Movie

    01:36:36 What Dreams Teach us about Living Life

    01:40:20 Somatic Sensation of Trauma Release/Nervous System Rewiring

    01:44:14 Synchronicities

    01:46:35 Psychic and Precognitive Experiences

    01:50:35 Channeling or Witness Perspective

    01:55:05 Continued Expanded States of Awareness after Kundalini Awakening

    02:01:13 Conclusion ​​

  • Rieki Master Valentina Marulli joins us today to describe the beginnings of Reiki, and its similarities with the concept of the priesthood within mormonism. We discuss Mikao Usui's mystical experience after fasting and meditating for 21 days, how Reiki compares with the priesthood, and which one has clinical evidence supporting its effectiveness.

    Please leave a review, share with a friend, and get in touch at [email protected] with feedback or topics you'd like to see us cover.

    Links:

    Stories of Awakening Podcast - https://anchor.fm/valentina-marulli

    Valentina's Website - https://soul-vale.com

    Valentina's Instagram - https://instagram.com/soulvale?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

    Reiki Study - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871310/

  • This is the reading of a written piece making a case for increasing entropy as an artifact of the way conscious agents apply serial lossy downsampling of an infinitely complex reality, rather than as a trait inherent in the universe.

    Essentially, entropy is a measure about the information we have about a system, which is always subject to the bandwidth constraints of consciousness. These bandwidth constraints result in continual downsampling or compression of reality from moment to moment, resulting in a compounding loss of information. This results in the perception of increasing entropy as experienced by the observer. This perception is largely consistent between observers, since we as observers are part of the system being observed, and therefore experience a certain measure of consensus reality. I then argue that entropy actually decreases for the observer with injections of information about the system, which appears as increasing the bandwidth which is dictating the downsampling or compression of reality. This occurs through evolution, as well as through the arc of one's life from newborn to adult, but can also occur by increasing one's state of awareness through practices like meditation. I argue that within idealism, there is no such thing as a closed system.

    Link:

    Substack Link - https://mormonsmysticsandmuons.substack.com/p/entropy-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder

    Essentia Article - https://www.essentiafoundation.org/entropy-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/

    Please leave a review, share with a friend, and get in touch at [email protected] with feedback or topics you'd like to see us cover.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction

    01:31 Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

    04:18 Objections to the Second Law

    05:17 Sabine Hossenfelder's Perspective on the Second Law

    08:21 Stephen Wolfram's Cellular Automata

    10:24 Stephen Wolfram's Ruliad

    11:39 Stephen Wolfram's Perspective on the Second Law

    15:25 Stephen Wolfram's Perspective on Quantum Physics and Consciousness

    16:30 Donald Hoffman's Interface Theory of Perception

    18:30 Donald Hoffman's Model of Conscious Agents

    20:23 Donald Hoffman's Markovian Dynamics and Entropy

    22:28 Intersubjectivity

    24:07 Bernardo Kastrup's Analytical Idealism as a Model for Intersubjectivity

    27:00 QBism as a Model for Intersubjectivity

    28:26 Overcoming Entropy

    32:28 Conclusion

  • During this episode we listen to a portion of a lecture by Terence McKenna and provide commentary. We discuss the impact of the Judeo-Christian belief that man is fallen. McKenna discusses how this contrasts with esoteric teachings that we are co-creators of reality with the divine.

    He also discusses how bizarre of a case John Dee was, though it will be quite familiar for Mormons. John Dee was an educated individual in the late 1500's who claimed an angel appeared to him, giving him a “shew stone” in which messages appeared. A man named Edward Kelley then shows up on the scene and uses the shew-stone to receive messages in reversed Latin, which were transcribed by John Dee. Ultimately the angels command John Dee to share his wife with Edward Kelley. We also discuss the impact psychedelics may have had on esotericism, but highlight McKenna's point that they needn't be involved in explaining all mystical experiences that contributed to esotericism.

    The full McKenna lecture is available at https://youtu.be/6pvAhssEmVo?si=WjeI7MTAklD-5Z2S

    Links:

    Becoming Michelangelo: Apprenticing to the Master and Discovering the Artist through His Drawings - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1956763473

    Silence: A Novel - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSNZ7BFK

    The House of Wisdom: How the Arabs Transformed Western Civilization - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004M8RUF4

    Please leave a review, share with a friend, and get in touch at [email protected] with feedback or topics you'd like to see us cover.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Recap of Sunstone Sessions

    02:02 Exploring the Connection Between Mormonism and Freemasonry

    08:08 Terence McKenna and the Mystical Origins of Mormonism

    12:30 Magic, Hermeticism, and Christianity

    13:41 The Christian View of Fallen Man

    16:35 False Dichotomy of Good and Evil

    20:34 Christ as an Archetype Instead of a Savior

    23:31 Freud's Superego, Ego, Id

    28:46 The Hermetic View of Humanity as Co-Partners in Creation

    32:55 Dangers of Anthropocentrism

    37:52 Morals Outside of Religion

    46:59 The Historicity of Hermes Trismegistus

    52:01 Hermetic Philosophy

    56:36 Gods in Embryo

    01:01:04 Enoch and Moses's Vision, and Mystical Experiences

    01:03:02 Religion versus Spirituality

    00:51 LSD and the Mind of the Universe

    03:44 The Absence of Sin in Hermeticism

    06:37 Similarities with the Book of Abraham and the Second Comforter

    10:04 Reevaluating Damnation and Sin within Idealism

    13:39 Psychedelics and other Methods for Mystical Experiences

    19:39 Reconciling Spiritual Experiences after Mormonism

    24:23 Western Europe's Shift towards Religion

    36:39 Giordano Bruno

    38:46 John Dee

    41:10 John Dee's Shew-Stone and Edward Kelly

    46:00 Similarities Between John Dee and Joseph Smith

    55:44 Integrating Truths and the Evolution of Religion

    01:01:27 The Challenge of Reconciling Religion Without Dichotomies

    01:03:11 The Battle Between Religion and Spirituality

    01:08:51 LSD and the Mind of the Universe

    01:11:44 The Absence of Sin in Hermeticism

    01:14:37 Similarities with the Book of Abraham and the Second Comforter

    01:18:04 Reevaluating Damnation and Sin within Idealism

    01:21:39 Psychedelics and other Methods for Mystical Experiences

    01:27:39 Reconciling Spiritual Experiences after Mormonism

    01:32:23 Western Europe's Shift towards Religion

    01:44:39 Giordano Bruno

    01:46:46 John Dee

    01:49:10 John Dee's Shew-Stone and Edward Kelly

    01:54:00 Similarities Between John Dee and Joseph Smith

    02:03:44 Integrating Truths and the Evolution of Religion

    02:09:27 The Challenge of Reconciling Religion Without Dichotomies

    02:11:11 The Battle Between Religion and Spirituality

  • Glenn Ostlund of Infants on Thrones joins us for a wide-ranging discussion. We cover psychology, attachment theory, complex trauma, neuroscience, and how understanding our brain helps us heal. Glenn has a long history in podcasting and overlaps with many of the topics we feature on Mormons, Mystics, and Muons. He also shares our perspective of claiming the positive truths in Mormonism while growing from the flaws.

    Links

    Therapist Uncensored Podcast - The Amygdala Unpacked with Dr. Joseph LeDoux (174): https://therapistuncensored.com/episodes/amygdala-joseph-e-ledoux-174/ Discussing how protein synthesis is not only part of memory consolidation or formation, but is also involved in memory retrieval and then being put back away, or memory reconsolidation. Discussion of the experiment with the rats starts at 20:00.

    Therapist Uncensored Podcast - The Neurobiology of Threat Impacts Your Relationships, Ann and Sue Update You on the Latest (173): https://therapistuncensored.com/episodes/neurobiology-impacts-relationships-173/

    Therapist Uncensored Podcast - The Life-Changing Science of Memory Reconsolidation with Guests Bruce Ecker & Tori Olds: https://therapistuncensored.com/episodes/tu112-the-life-changing-science-of-memory-reconsolidation-with-guests-bruce-ecker-tori-olds/

    Big Think - Is the universe controlled by gigantic structures?: https://bigthink.com/hard-science/large-scale-structures/

    Tripping Through Time: How Psychedelic Drugs Reopen the Brain’s Learning Window: https://scitechdaily.com/tripping-through-time-how-psychedelic-drugs-reopen-the-brains-learning-window/ This article references the study showing the time windows of neuroplasticity that psychedelics reopen, and talk about how those are sort of super-learning periods, with growth dependent on what happens during those windows.

    Attachment Disturbances in Adults by Daniel Brown and David Elliott: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016APOD0G I can't recommend this enough. It is a thick book at 700 some pages, and written for clinicians. My favorite part of the book was transcripts they included of a patient who the therapist was able to reintegrate all her dissociative alter egos into one cohesive ego, which became a model for my view of the "purpose of life," essentially that cosmic parts work I talked about.

    Mindset - The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345472322

    Infants on Thrones: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Z6HKLDRPEeW7QM9n5WjLS

    Glenn Ostlund: https://dowofhealing.com

    New to the podcast? Make sure you watch Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    https://youtu.be/5YBeMrR1seM

    https://open.substack.com/pub/mormonsmysticsandmuons/p/mormonism-psychedelics-quantum-physics

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to Mormons, Mystics, and Muons Podcast

    04:37 Introduction to Infants on Thrones Podcast

    04:52 Infants on Thrones Podcast

    07:01 Attachment Theory

    17:28 Childhood Experiences

    25:01 Finding Order in the Chaos of your Past

    27:34 Coherence Therapy and Memory Consolidation

    35:41 The Malleability of the Brain and Growth Mindset

    41:33 Therapy and Medications

    46:13 Psychedelics and Windows of Neuroplasticity

    48:33 Mirror Neurons

    56:28 Idealism and the Nature of Reality

    01:03:15 The Consciousness of Neurons

    01:06:59 Rupert Spira and Awareness

    01:08:09 Are we Living in "Horton Hears a Who"?

    01:10:46 The Creation of the Earth

    01:13:45 Schrodinger Equation Applies to Space

    01:15:44 Are Humans just the Neurons of AI?

    01:17:23 Channeling and Automatic Writing

    01:29:47 Brain Science

    01:40:02 Mormonism

    01:41:38 Finding Meaning in Polarity

    01:47:50 Humans as the Neurons of the Planet

    01:52:05 Recognizing and Changing Unconscious Programming

    01:54:02 Finding Meaning Through the Oneness of Idealism

    01:59:28 The Maturation of Solar Systems

    02:02:00 Mormonism and the End Times

    02:04:41 Channeling

  • On this episode we talk about Yuval Noah Harari's popular book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. This book has become somewhat of a guide for many seeking meaning in an agnostic or atheist framework. We discuss its focus on the myths that unite us as well as society's trend towards unity. We also discuss its shortcomings, which include a lack of discussion of materialism and idealism, philosophy, consciousness, psychedelics, mystical experiences, and quantum physics. Can you accurately tell such a comprehensive history while leaving out these topics? After all, each of these topics have profound implications on reality, the stage on which humankind is playing out.

    Links:

    Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Herari - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICN066A

    New to the podcast? Make sure you watch Episode 2 or read it in on the Substack for the integrative narrative of Mormon origins:

    https://youtu.be/5YBeMrR1seM

    https://open.substack.com/pub/mormonsmysticsandmuons/p/mormonism-psychedelics-quantum-physics

    Please rate, share, and get in touch at [email protected]!

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction

    02:58 The Meaning Crisis after Leaving Mormonism

    05:37 The Importance of Myth

    15:33 Defining Knowledge and Understanding Frameworks

    17:26 Monism

    19:38 Different Ways of Describing Reality

    21:20 Subjects Sapiens Fails to Address

    24:36 History as an Interpretation

    28:14 Utility of Different Frameworks

    33:55 Anthropocentrism

    35:56 Mystical Experiences

    38:58 Oneness

    42:25 Homo Sapiens as a Collective Consciousness

    44:01 Interdependence

    47:58 Objective, Subjective, and Intersubjective Realities

    53:57 DNA, Culture, and Language

    58:22 Progress Towards Unity

    59:46 AI as a Force for Unity

    01:02:47 Recognizing Interconnectedness

    01:04:45 Foundations for Morality Beyond Religion

    01:08:07 Morality and Idealism

    01:10:54 Nature of Reality

    01:13:31 Science's Blind Spot

    01:15:32 Happiness and the Hedonic Treadmill

    01:23:14 Happiness and Non-attachment

    01:26:04 DNA vs Culture

    01:27:59 The Challenge of Defining Consciousness

    01:29:38 Psychedelics

    01:30:10 Closing Thoughts