エピソード

  • Show Notes

    Season 2 Episode 10 ‘Transpersonal Psychology for Global Flourishing’

    Today my guest is Jessica Bockler, PhD. Jessica is an applied artist, transpersonal psychologist and Co-founding Director of the Alef Trust. She serves as Deputy CEO and works across Alef Trust’s academic and applied portfolios. Trained in applied and physical theatre, Jessica has extensive experience of expressive arts facilitation, as well as experimental movement and voice work. She specializes in embodied approaches to accessing creativity and imagination, and she is the founder of Creative Alternatives, an arts-based mental wellbeing service in the UK, which provides creative interventions to adults experiencing depression, stress and/or anxiety. The service is one of the longest established social prescribing projects in the UK and has won several awards for innovation in public service delivery.

    We begin with a look at how creativity, imagination and play can enhance your mental health. We explore the connections between embodiment, transpersonal psychology and mystical experience. Jessica describes some of her work with the Conscious Community Initiative, which explores the intersections between inner transpersonal practice and social change. We discuss the Inner Development Goals of the UN. And we finish with an important dialogue on how to acknowledge and respond constructively to the current moment of political, cultural and ecological turmoil.

    Resources

    The Alef Trust

    Jessica at the Alef Trust.

    The Conscious Community Initiative

    Fields of Change

    Topics discussed

    Maharishi Effect paper

    The Global Consciousness Project

    Entangled Activist:

    Lawson, A. (2023). The Entangled Activist: Learning to recognise the master's tools. Perspectiva Press.

    Burnout:

    Wright, S. (2021). Burnout: a spiritual crisis: from stress to transformation. Sacred Space Publications.

    Negative emotions:

    Goleman, D. (2004). Destructive Emotions and How We Can Overcome Them. Bloomsbury Publishing.

    Chodron, P. (2002). The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times. Shambhala.

    Joanna Macy’s Active Hope

    Patten, T. (2018). A New Republic of the Heart: Awakening into Evolutionary Activism. A Guide to Inner Work for Holistic Change (Sacred Activism). North Atlantic Books.

    Inner Development Goals:

    https://innerdevelopmentgoals.org

    There are many ways of organising societies:

    Graeber, D. & Wengrow, D. (2021). The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity. Allen Lane.

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • This a free audio recording of Chapter 1 of What Lies Beyond: Consciousness, Science, the Paranormal and the Post-Materialist Future. Read by the author, Matt Colborn. What Lies Beyond will be available for purchase at Amazon and other retail outlets from Tuesday May 27th. (From June 1st in the US).

    Amazon UK

    Amazon US

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • 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。

  • Show Notes

    Season 2 Episode 9 ‘Miracles of Our Own Making ’

    Today my guest is Liz Williams. Liz holds a PhD in the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge. She is a science fiction and fantasy writer living in Glastonbury, England. She has been published by Bantam Spectra (US) and Tor Macmillan (UK) and is currently published by New Con Press, Reaktion Books, Llewellyn Books, Open Road and Thames and Hudson.

    Liz is also an occultist and a pagan and has published several non-fiction books on that topic. One is the 2020 book Miracles of Our Own Making: A History of Paganism. Another is the 2025 book Compendium of the Occult: Arcane Artifacts, Magic Rituals, and Sacred Symbolism. She is also the author of Rough Music: Folk Customs, Transgression and Alternative Britain.

    In our dialogue we discuss the status of AI and consciousness studies. We look at the intersection between consciousness, imagination and creativity. We touch on the value of Science Fiction for thinking about other worldviews. And we discuss Liz’s background in paganism and the occult.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Resources

    Liz Williams website.

    Liz Williams fantastic fiction page (lists her fiction).

    My original interview with Liz Williams from Interzone Magazine (discusses Liz’s first two novels The Ghost Sister and Empire of Bones).

    Nonfiction Books

    Williams, L. (2025). Compendium of the Occult: Arcane Artifacts, Magic Rituals, and Sacred Symbolism. Thames & Hudson.

    Williams, L. (2025). Rough Music: Folk Customs, Transgression and Alternative Britain. Reaktion Books.

    Williams, L. (2020). Miracles of Our Own Making: A History of Paganism. Reaktion Books

    Jones, T. & Williams, L. (2012). Diary of a Witchcraft Shop. NewCon Press.

    Topics Discussed

    Artificial Intelligence

    Gary Marcus’ critical blog on Artificial Intelligence.

    Human beings have causal models in their heads:

    Pearl, J. (2019). The Book of Why: The New Science of Cause and Effect (Penguin Science). Penguin.

    Problems with materialism and consciousness:

    Nagel, T. (2012). Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature is Almost Certainly False. Oxford University Press.

    Creativity and Imagination

    Tanith Lee’s Fantastic Fiction page (Lists fiction).

    The case of the woman with an alter who wrote novels:

    Psi Encyclopaedia page on the Patience Worth/Pearl Curran case.

    Robert Louis Stephenson’s Chapter on Dreams (Discusses his ‘Brownies’).

    The kid who thinks he is a reincarnated Hollywood extra:

    Ryan Hammons reincarnation case (discussed in episode).

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Season 2 Episode 8 ‘The Ghost Experience’

    Today my guest is Ciaran O’Keeffe. Ciaran is an Associate Professor of Education and Head of the School of Human & Social Sciences at Bucks New University. He is a popular sceptical voice on various paranormal shows and podcasts. Ciaran has become best known for his regular appearances on Living TV’s Most Haunted and later for featuring on the popular BBC podcast and TV show Uncanny, which is now in its second series on BBC 2.

    Ciaran’s paranormal research has focussed on testing mediums & psychics in the lab and also field-work examining ghostly experiences. It has been reported in The Psychologist, The Times, The Independent, New Scientist and elsewhere. He has been involved in many unusual projects: physiological effects of infrasound in the Royal Festival Hall; ghost investigation of Hampton Court Palace; an exorcism ‘training day’; Hostage Negotiation simulations and lie detecting for the film Spy Game. He has written a number of ‘paranormal’ books including GhostHunters: A Guide to Investigating the Paranormal and is a co-author of the key work Ghosted!: Exploring the Haunting Reality of Paranormal Encounters.

    The main focus of today’s fascinating talk is the ghost and poltergeist experience. Ciaran draws upon his extensive knowledge as a psychologist and parapsychologist, and on decades of talking to eyewitnesses of extraordinary and unsettling events. We discuss ‘Haunted People Syndrome’ and why it’s important to ‘loosen up’ when considering fantastic claims. We also discuss a shared love of the 1984 movie Ghostbusters!

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Resources

    Ciaran’s Linktree page, with details of his writing and projects.

    Page at Buckinghamshire New University:

    https://www.bucks.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/ciaran-okeeffe

    Books

    Laythe, B. et al. (2021). Ghosted!: Exploring the Haunting Reality of Paranormal Encounters. McFarland.

    Fielding, Y. & O’Keeffe, C. (2006). Ghost Hunters: A Guide to Investigating the Paranormal. Hodder & Stoughton.

    TV Shows/Podcasts

    Uncanny (with links to TV show and podcast).

    Most Haunted official YouTube channel.

    Haunted podcast.

    The Battersea Poltergeist (BBC Radio 4).

    The Witch Farm (BBC Radio 4).

    2:22 A Ghost Story official website.

    IMDB Page for Cleanin’ Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters (2019 making of documentary).

    Other Resources

    Alan Gauld (Psi Encyclopedia entry).

    Tony Cornell (Psi Encyclopedia entry).

    The Enfield case (Psi Encyclopaedia).

    Poltergeists in general (Psi Encyclopaedia).

    Books

    Cornell, T. (2002). Investigating the Paranormal. New York: Helix Press.

    (Includes the account of ‘the seen and unseen ghost,’ discussed in the episode).

    Gauld, A., & Cornell, A.D. (1979). Poltergeists.Routledge & Regan Paul.

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    ‘Season 2 Episode 7 The Transliminal Mind’

    Today my guest is Professor Christine Simmonds-Moore. Christine earned her Ph.D in psychology from the University of Northampton in the UK. In 2010, she left her native UK for the USA. Christine worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the Rhine Research Center in Durham North Carolina until she moved to Carrollton in 2011 to join the psychology department at the University of West Georgia. Her research interests include the study of personality types who are prone to subjective anomalous and paranormal experiences and beliefs, synesthesia, anomalous experiences and sleep-related altered states of consciousness. Recent research has focused on the roles of the body in anomalous experiences. She is currently working on a Bial funded project about Aphantasia (people who have a lack of visual mental imagery). She is the editor of Exceptional Experience and Health: Essays on Mind, body and human potential and a co-author of a text book on Anomalistic Psychology.

    Today we have an in-depth discussion on the relationship between paranormal experience and what Christine calls the Transliminal Mind. We discuss the psychological dimensions of anomalous experience, and their relationship to certain, specific personality types. We discuss the evidence for psi phenomena. And we talk about possible future directions for parapsychology and consciousness studies.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Resources

    Christine at the UWA:

    Christine Simmonds-Moore, Phd. Page at the University of West Georgia, USA.

    Christine Simmonds-Moore’s entry on the Psi Encyclopaedia.

    Books & Chapters:

    Holt, N., Simmonds-Moore, C., Luke, D. & French, C. (2012). Anomalistic Psychology (Macmillan Insights in Psychology series). Red Globe Press.

    Simmonds-Moore, C. (eds.) (2012). Exceptional Experience and Health: Essays on Mind, Body and Human Potential. McFarland & Co.

    Simmonds-Moore, C. (2019). Liminal spaces and liminal minds: Boundary thinness and participatory eco-consciousness. Chapter in Hunter, J. Greening the Paranormal: Exploring the Ecology of Extraordinary Experience. August Night Press.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Other resources

    Hartmann, E. (1992). Boundaries in the Mind: A New Psychology of Personality. Basic Books.

    Psi Encyclopaedia page on the ganzfeld psi experiment

    Psi Encyclopaedia page on the psychomanteum

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    ‘Season 2 Episode 6 Near Death Experiences: Indigenous Approaches’

    Associate Professor Natasha Tassell-Matamua is a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of the School of Psychology at Massey University in Aotearoa New Zealand. She is also co-Director of the recently established Centre for Indigenous Psychologies. Her research and teaching is in the area of indigenous psychologies, indigenous knowledges and Exceptional Human Experience. This research focusses on the interplay between spirituality, well-being and the wider ecosystem. She has spent the last decade researching the phenomenology, after-effects and cultural specificity of Near Death Experiences, and has published extensively in the area as well as providing numerous presentations both nationally and internationally.

    In today’s talk, we discuss Natasha’s work in Near Death Experiences and the importance of indigenous psychologies and indigenous knowledges. We talk about the problem of power and privilege in Near Death studies, which often leads to the domination of materialist-reductionist approaches. And we talk about how Māori conceptions of spirituality might contribute to better mental health and wellbeing.

    Resources

    Natasha’s page at Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand:

    https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/expertise/profile.cfm?stref=830930

    And at the Centre for Indigenous Psychologies, with her writing and some media appearances:

    https://www.doorofthenight.co.nz/natasha

    Her page on Google Scholar:

    https://scholar.google.co.nz/citations?user=aKsLIN0AAAAJ&hl=en

    The Centre for Indigenous Psychologies:

    https://www.indigenouspsychologies.nz

    Natasha’s talk at the Alef Trust can be viewed here.

    Terminal Lucidity project:

    https://www.indigenouspsychologies.nz/terminal-lucidity-in-children

    The Door of the Night project:

    https://www.doorofthenight.co.nz

    Reference for the NDE paper we discuss:

    Tassell-Matamua, N. (2024). Power and privilege in the study of near-death experiences. In The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods in Spirituality and Contemplative Studies. (pp. 271 - 281).

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Other Resources

    “Near-death experiences are ‘electrical surge in dying brain’” — Borjigen lab’s framing of NDEs.

    Vandana Shiva’s chapter on Monocultures of the Mind and the exclusion of indigenous knowledges:

    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0019556119930304

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Season 2 Episode 5 ‘Near Death Experiences: Cheating the Ferryman?’

    Today my guest is Anthony Peake. Anthony is a writer who deals with borderline areas of human consciousness. At university he specialised in the sociology of religion, the theory of language development and the art of the Italian Renaissance. A post-graduate course in management led Anthony away from his calling as a writer and into a career as a manager in various UK businesses.

    In the year 2000 he was able to take a year’s sabbatical from his business career and he decided to research and write a book. This book was a distillation of all his areas of interest, quantum physics, neurology, ancient myths, altered states of consciousness and the mystery of death. Thanks to the help of Professor Bruce Greyson of the University of Virginia, an article based upon Anthony’s Cheating the Ferryman hypothesis was to appear in the Winter 2004 edition of the Journal of Near-Death Studies, the academic periodical of the International Association of Near-Death Studies (IANDS).

    Anthony’s first book, Is There Life After Death?, was eventually published by Arcturus books in 2006. This book has now sold over 60,000 copies world-wide and has been translated into various foreign language editions including Spanish, Russian and Polish. Anthony has now written thirteen books. All of them further develop his speculative idea of ‘Cheating the Ferryman’. His latest book, an exhaustive review of the history, anthropology and science of the much-discussed Near-Death Experience (NDE) was published in November 2024.

    Today’s dialogue focusses on controversies over Near-Death Experiences. We begin with a look at some of the anomalous features of NDEs, and with the tension between researchers who favour materialistic explanations in terms of brain function and those who advocate afterlife interpretations. We discuss the phenomenon of brain activity surges at the point of death. We also discuss some of the stranger features of NDEs, including commonalities with psychedelic experiences and apparent alien abductions. Anthony then describes his ‘Cheating the Ferryman’ idea. We finish with a critical discussion of the high-profile Pam Reynolds NDE, and the challenge of veridical Out of Body Experiences.

    Resources

    Anthony’s website:

    https://www.anthonypeake.com

    Some of his books:

    Peake, A. (2024). Near Death Experiences: The Science, Psychology and Anthropology Behind the Phenomenon. Arcturus.

    Peake, A. (2022). Cheating the Ferryman: The Revolutionary Science of Life After Death: The Sequel to the Bestselling Is There Life After Death? Arcturus.

    Peake. A. (2006/2021). Is There Life After Death?: The Extraordinary Science of What Happens When We Die. Arcturus.

    Links for all of Anthony’s books can be found on his website book shop.

    NDE topics

    1988 BBC QED Documentary ‘Glimpses of Death’, presented by Peter Fenwick

    Blackmore, S.J. (1988). Visions from the Dying Brain. New Scientist May 1988. No 1611, pp. 43—46.

    Anita Morjani’s TEDx talk where she discusses her NDE.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Vicente paper on brain activity in a dying man:

    Vicente, R., Rizzuto, M., Sarica, C., et al. 2022. ‘Enhanced Interplay of Neuronal Coherence and Coupling in the Dying Human Brain’. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 14, (21 February). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.813531.

    Pam Reynolds case:

    https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/pam-reynolds-near-death-experience

    Related Experiences

    Issue of the Journal of Scientific Exploration where Survival research is debated (pp. 348—447).

    Description of the ‘intensified’ route of trance. Includes discussion of Mesolithic cave art as records of trance:

    Lewis-Williams, D. (2004). The Mind in the Cave. Thames & Hudson.

    Ken Ring on the link between NDEs and alien abductions:

    Ring, K. (1992). The Omega Project: Near-Death Experiences, Ufo Encounters, and Mind at Large. William Morrow.

    Whitley Strieber’s alien abduction is described in his book:

    Strieber, W. (1987). Communion. Avon.

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Season 2 Episode 4 ‘Being, Time and Altered States’

    Today’s podcast is the last of a trilogy on consciousness and time. My guest is Marc Wittmann, Ph.D. Marc is a research fellow at the Institute for Frontier Areas in Psychology and Mental Health in Freiburg, Germany. He studied psychology and philosophy at the Universities of Fribourg, Switzerland, and Munich, Germany. He received his Ph.D. at the Institute of Medical Psychology, University of Munich. From 2000 to 2004 he was head of the Generation Research Program, Bad Tölz, University of Munich. Between 2004 to 2009 he was a research fellow in the department of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego.

    In today’s interview, we discuss Marc’s book Altered States of Consciousness, from MIT press. We begin with a discussion of the history of psychedelic research. Then we move onto the central issue: the intimate relationship between time, consciousness and the self. We look at the phenomenon of time expansion experiences in meditation. We touch upon a famous controversy on the nature of time between Albert Einstein and the philosopher, Henri Bergson. We discuss the disturbing disintegration of the present moment in conditions like schizophrenia. And we finish by considering the implications of mystical states, which commonly feature a profound sense of unity with the cosmos.

    Resources

    Marc’s book:

    Wittmann, M. (2018). Altered States of Consciousness: Experiences Out of Time and Self. MIT Press.

    First flotation tank study:

    Hruby, H., Schmidt, S., Feinstein, J.S. et al. Induction of altered states of consciousness during Floatation-REST is associated with the dissolution of body boundaries and the distortion of subjective time. Sci Rep 14, 9316 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-59642-y

    Marc’s website:

    https://sites.google.com/site/webmarcwittmann/

    Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health (IGPP):

    https://www.igpp.de/allg/welcome_EN.htm

    Marc on the Psi Encyclopaedia

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Topics discussed

    Essential Foundation’s Time and Mind conference( first talks)

    Hans Bender’s entry on the Psi encyclopaedia.

    The life and work of John Lilly, who invented floatation tanks.

    Roland Griffiths

    Steve Taylor on time expansion

    Physicist Carlo Rovelli on time (YouTube)

    Bergson versus Einstein:

    Cancales, J. (2015). The Physicist and the Philosopher: Einstein, Bergson, and the Debate That Changed Our Understanding of Time. Princeton University Press.

    Wittmann, M. & Montemayer, C. (2022). Reinterpreting the Einstein-Bergson Debate through Contemporary Neuroscience, De Gruyter, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110753707-019

    Philip K. Dick’s novel involving schizophrenia and time:

    Dick,P.K. (1964). Martian Time Slip. Ballantine.

    Iain McGilchrist’s website

    William James’ Varieties of Religious Experience (discusses mystical experiences):

    https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/621

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Season 2 Episode 3 ‘Contact with the Future’

    Today’s podcast is the second of a trilogy on consciousness and time. Jon Taylor is an interdisciplinary scientist dedicated to the study of anomalous phenomena related to cognition. He graduated from the University of Cambridge with an MA in Natural Sciences. A long-time enthusiast of parapsychology, Taylor returned to Spain in 1992 to embark on a 25-year investigation into the physical and biological principles underlying precognition. In August 2024, a revised edition of his book Contact with the Future: The Astonishing Power of Intuition and Precognition, featuring a foreword by Stanley Krippner, was published on Amazon. Jon is also a Professional Member of the Parapsychological Association.

    In this fascinating interview, Jon discusses his theory that precognition is the major form of Extra Sensory Perception. He also thinks that there might be a physical explanation for seeing the future, basing his theory on ideas from quantum physics developed by the late David Bohm. He questions the assumption that psi is linked to consciousness. He also questions the claim that the acceptance of precognition would also mean the acceptance of a post-material view of consciousness. He believes that the priority is to develop a physical theory for parapsychological effects because this might lead to a more general acceptance of the field in mainstream science.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Resources

    Jon Taylor’s website:

    https://jontaylor.org

    His book:

    Taylor, J. (2024). Contact with the Future: The Astonishing Power of Intuition and Precognition. Amazon.

    Other precognition books

    J.W. Dunne’s book:

    Dunne, J.W. (1927). An Experiment with Time. A. & C. Black

    Eric Wargo’s book:

    Wargo, E. (2018). Time Loops: Precognition, Retrocausation, and the Unconscious. Anomalist Books.

    Danah Zohar’s book:

    Zohar, D. (1982). Through the Time Barrier. Heineman.

    Experimental Evidence for ESP/Precognition

    Guy Lyon Playfair’s work on twin telepathy:

    https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/twin-telepathy

    Honorton, C., & Ferrari, D. C. (1989). “Future telling”: A meta-analysis of forced-choice precognition experiments, 1935-1987. Journal of Parapsychology, 53, 281–

    308.

    Storm, L. & Tressoldi, P. (2023). Assessing 36 Years of the Forced Choice Design in Extra Sensory Perception Research: A Meta-Analysis, 1987 to 2022. Journal of Scientific Exploration, 37,3, 517-535.

    Summary of Bem precognition controversy:

    https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/feeling-future-precognition-experiments

    It is also worth reviewing my talk with skeptic Chris French on problems with replication in precognition experiments, especially in the context of the Transparent Psi project.

    Main paper for Transparent Psi project:

    Kekecs, Z., Palfi, B., Szaszi, B., Szecsi, P., Zrubka, M., Kovacs, M., ... & Aczel, B. (2023). Raising the value of research studies in psychological science by increasing the credibility of research reports: the transparent Psi Project. Royal Society Open Science, 10, 2, 191375; doi: 10.1098/rsos.191375

    Patrizio Tressoldi’s nonlocal perception papers, including meta-analyses, can be found here:

    http://www.patriziotressoldi.it/cmssimpled/index.php?page=nonlocal-perception

    Maimonides Dream Laboratory:

    https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/maimonides-dream-telepathy-research

    Dean Radin’s presentiment experiments:

    https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/presentiment

    Gertrude Schmeidler (coined term ‘sheep-goat’ effect in parapsychology):

    https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/gertrude-schmeidler

    Physics

    Physicist David Bohm’s book on the implicate order (available in full):

    Bohm, D. (1980/20020. Wholeness and the implicate order. Routledge & Kegan Paul.

    Physicist Carlo Rovelli on time lecture here.

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Season 2 Episode 2 ‘Dreaming Ahead of Time’

    Today’s podcast is the first of a loose trilogy on consciousness and time. My guest is the writer and musician Gary Lachman. Gary is the author of many books on topics ranging from the evolution of consciousness to literary suicides, popular culture and the history of the occult. He has written a rock and roll memoir of the 1970s, biographies of Aleister Crowley, Rudolf Steiner, C. G. Jung, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Emanuel Swedenborg, P. D. Ouspensky, and Colin Wilson. He also written histories of Hermeticism and the Western Inner Tradition, studies in existentialism and the philosophy of consciousness, and about the influence of esotericism on politics and society. As Gary Valentine he was a founding member of the pop group Blondie and in 2006 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Gary was born in New Jersey, but since 1996 has lived in London, UK.

    We begin our talk discussing the persistent and remarkable phenomenon of dreaming the future. This leads to a discussion of the writer and existential philosopher Colin Wilson, who associated future dreaming with something he called Faculty X. We discuss the phenomenon of ‘peak experiences’, times when life seems replete with meaning. And we talk about how general lack of meaning might have contributed to the rise of extreme politics in the US and elsewhere.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Resources

    Gary Lachman’s website:

    https://www.gary-lachman.com

    Some of his books:

    Lachman, G. (2022). Dreaming Ahead of Time: Experiences with Precognitive Dreams, Synchronicity and Coincidence. Floris Books.

    Lachman, G. (2016). Beyond the Robot: The Life and Work of Colin Wilson. Tarcherperigee. (Out of Print).

    Lachman, G. (2016). The Caretakers of the Cosmos: Living Responsibly in an Unfinished World. Floris Books. (Contains a critique of philosopher John Gray and ‘everything is pointless’ philosophies).

    Lachman, G. (2018). Dark Star Rising: Magick and Power in the Age of Trump. TarcherPerigee.

    J.W. Dunne’s book on precognitive dreaming:

    Dunne, J.W. (1927). An Experiment with time. A. & C. Black

    Colin Wilson Books mentioned:

    Wilson, C. (1956). The Outsider. Gollancz.

    Wilson, C. (1959). The Age of Defeat. Gollancz.

    Wilson, C. (1971). The Occult: A history. Random house

    Wilson, C. (2009). Super Consciousness. Watkins books.

    The Essential Colin Wilson LP (YouTube) (Discusses psychologist Abraham Maslow).

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.

    Aldous Huxley’s essay “Beliefs” is in the HarperPerrenial edition of The Perennial Philosophy.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Season 2 Episode 1 ‘The Case for Skepticism’

    Today’s episode is about skeptical perspectives on the paranormal. My first guest is Professor Chris French. Chris is the Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and also a Patron of the British Humanist Association. His main current area of research is the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences. He frequently appears on radio and television casting a sceptical eye over paranormal claims. His most recent book is The Science of Weird S**t, published by MIT press.

    Dr. Cal Cooper appears on What Lies Beyond for the second time. Cal’s a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society, holding postgraduate degrees in psychology, social science research methods and education. He has a long-time association with the University of Northampton, and is based there as a senior lecturer in psychology.

    In this episode, Chris talks about his transition from paranormal believer to skeptic. We then discuss Anomalistic Psychology, which attempts to find ordinary psychological explanations for the apparently paranormal. We also discuss problems with replication in parapsychology, which means that some researchers seem to find positive results in their experiments, but others don’t. Our discussion demonstrates why multiple perspectives are important, and why anomalistic psychology can make a crucial contribution to our understanding of paranormal experience.

    Thanks for reading WHAT LIES BEYOND! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Resources

    Website of Chris French:

    http://profchrisfrench.com

    Website of Cal Cooper:

    https://www.callumecooper.com

    Chris French’s book:

    French, C. (2024). The science of weird S**t: Why our mind conjure the paranormal. MIT Press.

    Jim Matlock’s reincarnation course:

    https://jamesgmatlock.com/signs-of-reincarnation-course/

    Chris French and Chris Roe British Psychological Society debate:

    Will the debate over psi ever be settled?

    Transparent psi project:

    https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/transparent-psi-project

    Title Music: ‘Stranger things’ by Music Unlimited on Pixabey.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Welcome to 2025! Here’s a short video on my book What Lies Beyond, which is out in May and now available to preorder on Amazon. In the video, I talk a little about my motivation for writing What Lies Beyond: consciousness science, the paranormal and the post-materialist future. I say a little about my intended readership, which is basically anyone who feels the need to re-think basic assumptions about consciousness, mind and the world. It’s for anyone who’s concerned about our dysfunctional responses to things like climate breakdown. Anyone who’s curious about controversies over psi phenomena and mystical or transpersonal experience. Anyone who is tired of dehumanising and disempowering visions of the future. And it’s for people who are experiencing a crisis of meaning and purpose in their lives. What Lies Beyond is an invitation to explore, re-discover and re-think, for a more humane future.

    Season 2 of the What Lies Beyond Podcast is coming in February 2025.

    WHAT LIES BEYOND is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • My book What Lies Beyond: Consciousness, Science, the Paranormal, and the Post-Material Future is now available on Amazon to preorder! Available 27th June 2025. Thank you to all my followers, and Merry Christmas.

    Amazon UK

    Amazon US

    Psychedelic muse for the full immersion reading experience:

    https://www.youtube.com/@ThePsychedelicMuse

    Thanks for reading What Lies Beyond! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show notes

    This is the final episode of season one. Today’s guest is Dr Jennifer Gidley. Jennifer is an Author, Climate Educator, Psychologist, and International Futurist. She’s a global thought leader and advocate for human-centred futures in an era of hi-tech hype.

    Jennifer is an Adjunct Professor, Institute for Sustainable Futures (UTS) Sydney, and has held academic posts in four Australian universities. She is a Fellow at the Botin Centre, Santander, Spain, and a non-Resident Fellow of TRENDS Research & Advisory in Abu Dhabi. She’s held a Visiting Professorship at Olomouc University, Czech Republic and a Visiting Research Fellowship at SciencesPo, Paris, France. She was also the longest serving elected President of the World Futures Studies Federation from 2009 to 2017.

    Jennifer's most recent project is the founding of Global Futures Education, as a platform to provide high-level online education for professionals and executives. Over several years she has created a series of executive-level online courses on 'Grand Global Futures Challenges and Solutions'. She’s also the author of 2016’s The Future: A very short introduction from Oxford University Press.

    In this interview, recorded September 2024, we discuss the difference between what Jennifer calls a technocentric future and a human-centred one. Advocates of technocentric futures tend to assume that technology can solve everything. These sorts of futures are also based in a strongly materialist worldview. By contrast, Jennifer advocates human-centred futures, which see human beings as kind, fair, consciously evolving agents with a responsibility to maintain ecological balance between humans, world and cosmos.

    If you’re feeling disempowered about the future, then I hope you’ll find our dialogue as inspiring as I did. And I’d like to thank all my audience for listening this season.

    What Lies Beyond will be back in February 2025 for season 2!

    Thanks for reading What Lies Beyond! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Jennifer’s official site:

    https://www.jennifergidley.com

    Her book:

    Gidley, J. (2016). The Future: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.

    Site for Grand Global Challenges:

    https://www.globalfutureseducation.com

    Resources

    Some of the books discussed:

    Erlich, P.H. & Erlich, A.H. (1968). The population bomb. Sierra Club.

    Herbert, F. (2018). The Great Dune Trilogy (Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune). Gollancz. (Denis Villeneuve’s movie series is pretty excellent too!)

    Jungk, Robert & Johan Galtung, eds, (1969) Mankind 2000. Oslo & London: Norwegian University Press & Allen & Unwin. Future Research Monographs (1).

    Meadows, D.H., Meadows,D.L., Randers, J., Behrens, W. (1972). The Limits to Growth. https://www.clubofrome.org/publication/the-limits-to-growth/

    MacAskill, W. (2022). What we owe the future. Oneworld. (Longtermism).

    Murphy, M. (1992). The Future of the Body. Tarcher Putnam.

    Reubenstein, M. (2022). Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race. University of Chicago Press.

    Rushkoff, D. (2022). Survival of the Richest: escape fantasies of the tech billionaires. Scribe.

    Zuboff,S. (2019). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. Profile Books.

    Some of the people mentioned:

    Henri Bergson

    Teilhard De Chardin

    Jean Gebser

    Tristan Harris and Humane technology movement

    Thomas Malthus

    Marshall McLuhan. “Any invention or technology is an extension or self-amputation of our physical bodies.”

    Thanks for reading What Lies Beyond! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Today my guest is Paul Devereux. Paul is an independent scholar, writer, lecturer and researcher. He has authored over 20 published books since 1980, including his latest, The Powers of Ancient and Sacred Places. Paul is a trained artist and photographer and the former editor of a peer-reviewed journal, Time and Mind. He has a long-standing interest in consciousness and prehistory.

    This show begins with a long description of Paul’s powerful experience on the psychedelic drug LSD in the 1960s. Paul took LSD a number of months before the drug was criminalised in the UK. Today in Britain psychedelics are schedule 1 drugs which means you can get 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both for possession. Because of this I feel it’s important to offer a disclaimer for this episode.

    Here goes: The information presented in this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice or endorse the use of illegal substances. We strongly advise against engaging in any activities that are illegal or harmful to yourself or others.

    There are also mental health dangers with the illicit and uncontrolled use of psychedelics. Paul himself reports having to face significant psychological issues in the wake of his experience. One problem is that because of criminalisation, there was, and is, no safe social framework in the UK to take these drugs.

    However, I’m far from alone in finding the legal situation in the UK regarding psychedelics totally unsatisfactory. Human beings have been taking psychedelics since prehistoric times. Paul himself suggests, in his book The Long Trip, that the yearning to reach other states of consciousness may be as strong as the sexual drive.

    So I remain strongly supportive of legal reform in this area. I believe that adults have the right to alter their consciousness in any way they see fit, and there is by now good evidence that psychedelics have a positive use as therapeutic tools and in the context of personal development. However, they do need to be taken in supervised, legal clinical settings. This is possible in places like the Netherlands. There are also good quality retreats in South America.

    Paul’s opening description of his powerful LSD experience is also important for anyone interested in consciousness. He reports a worldview shattering, full-blown mystical experience of the kind reported repeatedly in Hindu, Buddhist and Christian contemplative writings.

    His trip also seemed to leave him open to anomalous experience. Paul later describes the shared experience of a strange aerial light phenomenon at Art College, which eventually led, somewhat tangentially, to an abiding fascination with the intersection of prehistory and consciousness.

    Thanks for reading What Lies Beyond! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Paul’s website:

    https://pauldevereux.co.uk

    Books by Paul:

    Devereux, P. (2022). The Powers of Ancient and Sacred Places. Daily Grail.

    Devereux, P. (2001). Stone Age Soundtracks. Vega Books.

    Devereux, P. (1997). The long trip: A prehistory of psychedelia. Penguin Arkana.

    Devereux, P. (1996). Revisioning the Earth: A Guide to Opening the Healing Channels Between Mind and Nature. Fireside.

    Devereux, P. (1982). Earthlights: Towards an understanding of the UFO enigma. Book Club Associates London.

    Resources

    Aldous Huxley’s books:

    Huxley, A. (2004). The Doors of Perception: And Heaven and Hell. Vintage.

    Huxley, A. (2005). Island. Vintage.

    Mysticism:

    Underhill, E. (2002). Mysticism: A study in the nature and development of spiritual consciousness. Dover.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Today my guest is Professor Ed Kelly. Ed has a BA in psychology from Yale and a Phd in psycholinguistics and cognitive science from Harvard. From 2002 to the present he has been a research professor in the Division of Perceptual Studies, which is part of the department of psychiatry and neurobiological sciences at the University of Virginia. His research interests are psychical research and functional neuroimaging.

    Ed is also a member of the survival seminar or ‘Sursem’ group at Esalen. The Sursem group was formed in 1998 to examine and collate evidence suggestive of the survival of human personality beyond bodily death. The group ended up producing three large volumes exploring post-materialist theories of consciousness. These were Irreducible Mind in 2007, Beyond Physicalism in 2015 and Consciousness Unbound in 2021. Each of these volumes is co-edited by Ed.

    In today’s talk we discussed Ed’s early disillusion with the theory of computer-as-mind, and his lab work with a psychic ‘star’ that convinced him of the reality of psi phenomena. We go on to discuss his work with the Sursem group, developing an alternative to mainstream, materialist theories of mind and consciousness. We finish looking at signs that a major revolution might be underway in terms of our understanding of life and consciousness.

    Thanks for reading What Lies Beyond! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    The Division of Perceptual Studies

    https://med.virginia.edu/perceptual-studies/

    Sursem group

    Kelly, E.F. (2015b). ‘Toward reconciliation of science and spirituality: A brief history of the “Sursem” project’, Edgescience No. 22, pp. 3— 7. Available here.

    Esalen’s website:

    https://www.esalen.org

    The Sursem Group books:

    Kelly, E.F., Kelly, E.W., Crabtree, A., Gauld, A., Grosso, M., Greyson, B. (2007). Irreducible mind: toward a psychology for the 21st century. Rowman & Littlefield.

    Kelly, E.F., Crabtree, A. & Marshall, P. (eds) Beyond Physicalism: Toward Reconciliation of Science and Spirituality. Rowman & Littlefield.

    Kelly, E.F. & Marshall, P. (2021). Consciousness unbound: Liberating mind from the tyranny of materialism. Rowman & Littlefield.

    My essay review of Irreducible Mind can be downloaded here.

    Parapsychology

    Cardeña, E. (2018) ‘The experimental evidence for parapsychological phenomena: A review, American Psychologist Vol. 73 No. 5, 663–677. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000236

    Skeptical response:

    Reber, A. S., & Alcock, J. E. (2020) ‘Searching for the impossible: Parapsychology’s elusive quest,’ American Psychologist 75(3), 391–399. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31192620/

    Stigmata:

    Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers - Ep. 4 - Stigmata: The Wounds of Christ

    ‘Voodoo death’:

    Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers - Ep. 11 - The Roots of Evil

    Consciousness and Life

    Eastman, T. (2021). Untying the Gordian Knot: Process, Reality, and Context (Contemporary Whitehead Studies). Lexington Books.

    Faggin, F. (2024). Irreducible: Consciousness, Life, Computers, and Human Nature. Essential Books.

    Nagel, T. (2012). Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False. Oxford University Press.

    A video of the biologist Dennis Noble discussing the current revolution in biology is available here.

    The great biologist Lynn Margulis’ last interview can be heard here. Includes an introduction to her work.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Today’s guest is Craig Weiler. Craig is a San Francisco Bay Area based author. He covers controversies in parapsychology, such as the Wikipedia controversy and the TED controversy of 2013, which we discuss today. He’s an associate member of the Parapsychological Association and author of Psi Wars: TED, Wikipedia and the battle for the Internet. He pays the bills with his small construction business on the peninsula in northern California, where he lives with his wife and just enough cats.

    Today we discuss some key campaigns of organised skepticism in the last decade. In the interview we make clear that there is a distinction between the kind of skepticism we might called informed critique and what sociologist Thomas Gieryn calls boundary work. Informed critiques in parapsychology might point to flaws in experiments, or important weaknesses in eyewitness testimony. They’re very important and part of the scientific process. Boundary work in this context means dismissing parapsychology as pseudoscience or ‘woo-woo,’ and trying to shut down debate. This second often problematic strategy is the main focus of this fascinating talk.

    Resources

    Craig’s book:

    Weiler, C. (2020). PSI WARS: TED, Wikipedia and the Battle for the Internet (2nd ed). White Crow.

    Craig’s page at the Parapsychological Association:

    https://www.parapsych.org/users/cweiler/profile.aspx

    Craig at the Paranormal Daily News:

    https://paranormaldailynews.com/author/craig-weiler/

    On Linked In:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-weiler-5288b616/

    Link to Graham Hancock’s banned TED talk.

    Link to Rupert Sheldrake’s banned TED talk.

    Rupert Sheldrake’s website.

    Graham Hancock’s website.

    Thanks for reading What Lies Beyond! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Today’s guest is Dr. Serena Roney-Dougal. Serena is one of the few people in Britain to have obtained a PhD for parapsychology, exploring the relationship between subliminal perception and psychic awareness. She has had over 40 years of study and experience in scientific, magical and spiritual explorations of the psyche, has lectured and taught courses, seminars and workshops in America, Britain, Europe, Japan and India; has written numerous articles both technical and popular, and two books; Where Science and Magic Meet and The Faery Faith. She is currently a green councillor in Glastonbury, England.

    In today’s conversation, we discussed Serena’s early work comparing psi to subliminal perception and also her work linking the pineal gland in the brain to psychic experience. We spoke about her experiments with meditation and psi, which were conducted in India and included a life-changing visit to Ladakh, or ‘Little Tibet’. We discussed the Tibetan view of consciousness and rebirth, and the experiences of some the Tibetans with whom she worked. We also briefly spoke about an experiment at Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland, linking psi performance with geomagnetic cycles. We finished off with some discussion of the links between environmental awareness and consciousness.

    Serena’s website and Books

    https://www.psi-researchcentre.co.uk

    Roney-Dougal, S. (2010). Where Science and Magic Meet. Green Magic.

    Roney-Dougal, S. (2003). The Faery Faith: An Integration of Science with Spirit. Green Magic.

    Referenced books

    David-Neel, A. (2007). Magic and Mystery in Tibet. Souvenir Press.

    Meadows, D.H, Meadows,D.L., Randers,J, Behrens III, W. (1972). The Limits to Growth. Universe Books.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Show Notes

    Today’s guest is Cal Cooper. Callum is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) holding postgraduate degrees in psychology, social science research methods and education. He has a long time association with the University of Northampton, and is based there as a senior lecturer in psychology. He also conducts research on amongst other things Death and Bereavement and Parapsychology.

    In today’s Halloween special, Cal and I discussed a number of suitably spooky topics. We talked about Cal’s early experiences as a ghost hunter and his move into professional psychology and parapsychology. We talked about classic ghost hunters, some of the interesting results from Northampton’s parapsychology experiments and finished up with phone calls from the dead. So light your Jack O’Lantern, hang up your rubber bats, kick back and enjoy this foray into the unknown.

    Thanks for reading What Lies Beyond! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Resources

    Cal’s website & a guide to his work:

    https://www.callumecooper.com

    Duggan, M. (2020). ‘Callum E Cooper’. Psi Encyclopedia. London: The Society for Psychical Research.

    (Includes details of Cal’s research).

    Video: statistician Jessica Utts on taking psi seriously.

    Ghost Hunters

    Fraser, J. (2017). ‘Harry Price’. Psi Encyclopedia. London: The Society for Psychical Research.

    Borley Rectory

    Willin, M. (2015). ‘Borley Rectory’. Psi Encyclopedia. London: The Society for Psychical Research.

    Ganzfeld & Remote Viewing

    Parker, A. (2017). ‘Ganzfeld ESP’. Psi Encyclopedia. London: The Society for Psychical Research.

    Schwartz, S. (2017). ‘Remote Viewing’. Psi Encyclopedia. London: The Society for Psychical Research.

    Chris Roe’s chapter in the following book:

    Smith, M. (eds). (2009). Anomalous Experiences: Essays from Parapsychological and Psychological Perspectives. McFarland & Co.

    Phone Calls from the Dead:

    Cooper, C. (2012). Telephone calls from the dead. Tricorn books.

    Scott-Rogo, D. & Bayliss, R. Phone calls from the dead (2nd ed.) White Crow Books.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com
  • Welcome to What Lies Beyond with your host Matt Colborn. Conversations on consciousness science, the paranormal and the post-material future. Visit us and subscribe on whatliesbeyond.substack.com

    Today my guest is Dr. Jack Hunter. Jack is an anthropologist exploring the borderlands of consciousness, religion, ecology and the paranormal. He lives in the hills of Mid-Wales with his family. He is a tutor with the Sophia Centre for the Study of Cosmology in Culture, University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He is also a tutor with the Alef Trust on their MSc in Consciousness, Spirituality and Transpersonal Psychology. His PhD at the University of Bristol took the form of an ethnographic study of contemporary trance and physical mediumship. He is also a musician and an ordained Dudeist Priest.

    In today’s conversation, we discussed the anthropology of high strangeness experiences and why we need to take them seriously. Jack has himself experienced a number of strange things, including a vision in Bristol Spirit lodge while he was researching his doctorate. We discussed how strange experiences might feed into and enrich consciousness studies, and how a rejection of animistic worldviews is connected to the exploitation of the Earth.

    WARNING: This episode contains some discussion of illicit drug use.

    Thanks for reading What Lies Beyond! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

    Website

    https://jack-hunter.yourwebsitespace.com

    Jack’s article on anthropology and psi research:

    https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/anthropology-and-psi-research

    Recent books by Jack

    Hunter, J. (ed). (2023). Deep Weird: The Varieties of High Strangeness Experience. August Night Press.

    Hunter, J. (2023). Ecology and Spirituality: A Brief Introduction. Sophia Centre Press.

    Hunter, J. (ed). (2019). Greening the Paranormal: Exploring the Ecology of Extraordinary Experience. August Night Press.

    Hunter, J. & Ironside, R. (eds). (2023).Folklore, People, and Places: International Perspectives on Tourism and Tradition in Storied Places. Routledge.

    Resources

    The Oz Factor was first described in the following book:

    Randles, J. (1983). UFO Reality: A critical look at the physical evidence. Hale.

    Numinosity:

    Otto, R. (1917). The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the Non-Rational Factor in the Idea of the Divine and its Relation to the Rational. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.22259

    Edith Turner’s webpage:

    https://anthropology.as.virginia.edu/people/edith-turner

    The Bristol Spirit Lodge:

    http://the-bristol-spirit-lodge.blogspot.com

    Andrew Lang:

    https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/andrew-lang

    Declarations on Animal and Insect consciousness:

    2012 Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness

    2024 New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness.

    The ecological perspective:

    White, L. (1967). The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis. Science 155(3767), pp. 1203-1207. https://www.kuleuven.be/thomas/uploads/file/hoger_onderwijs/modules/Lynn%20White%20Historical%20Roots(1).pdf

    Roszak, T. (1992). The voice of the Earth. Phanes Press.

    Transformative effect of paranormal experience:

    Kripal,J. (2020). The Flip: Who You Really Are and Why It Matters. Penguin.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatliesbeyond.substack.com