Some Other Sphere

In this episode i’m joined by Timothy Boucher and Jeremy Puma to discuss their work exploring the history and culture of the ancient, enigmatic Quatrian civilisation. This is no mean feat, as you will find very few direct references to Quatria on maps, in historical texts, or recorded in archaeological investigations. Imagination, legend and myth are the means by which it has survived the many millennia since it fell. This has informed the way that Tim and Jeremy have uncovered the story of this culture – most notably a book called The Lost Direction, written by Timothy, and The Oracle of the Hypogeum, a card deck created by Jeremy and Garrett of the Liminal Earth project. To say much more than this would spoil the interview a little I think. Enjoy! If you'd like to read more about ancient Quatria please visit https://medium.com/quatrian-folkways You can get a hold of The Lost Direction at Lost Books and The Oracle of the Hypogeum at https://liminal.earth/the-oracle-of-the-hypogeum/. You can now also support the podcast via Ko-fi. To buy Some Other Sphere a coffee, please go to https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast. Thank you! The song playing out this episode is 'White Christmas' by The Inkspots (Decca Records 1947). The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music - 'Hubbub' by Chris Martyn and Geoff Harvey.

My guest for this episode is Dr Eric Wargo, who joined me to talk about his research into the nature of precognition, specifically its connection to dreaming, the unconscious and the scientific principle of retrocausation, which posits that events in the future can produce effects in the present, and present happenings can have a similar influence in the past. He covers this all extensively in his 2018 book Time Loops and next year sees the release of Precognative Dreamwork and the Long Self, which explores in more details methods that can be used to interpret these glimpses of the future. His work encompasses physics, psychoanalysis, anthropology and esoteric thought and challenges a lot of long held assumptions about the nature of our reality and how it works. Fascinating stuff indeed. Enjoy! You can find out more about Eric's research and books at http://thenightshirt.com/ You can now also donate to Some Other Sphere via Ko-fi. To buy the podcast a coffee please visit https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast. Thank you! The Some Other Sphere theme music is from Purple Planet Music - 'Hubbub' by Geoff Harvey/Chris Martyn.

In this episode my guest is author Peter Bebergal, who joined me to discuss his 2018 book Strange Frequencies: The Extraordinary Story of the Technological Quest for the Supernatural. In that work he explores the various ways people have tried to use technology to better understand and communicate with the supernatural along with the engineers, inventors and seers who were fascinated by those mysteries. Peter has written extensively on a range of fringe and Fortean subjects, with essays and reviews featuring in The New Yorker, The Times Literary Supplement, The Believer and The Quietus. He is also the author of Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll and has recently edited Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons, due out early next year. This is a wide ranging chat, covering magic, technology, myth and science. Something for everyone, I hope! Peter can be found on Twitter as @peterbebergal and his books are available from all good book retailers. You can now donate to Some Other Sphere via Kofi. To buy the podcast a coffee, please go to https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast. Thank you! The Some Other Sphere intro music is from Purple Planet Music - 'Hubbub' by Geoff Harvey and Chris Martyn.

My guests for this episode are folklorists, paranormal researchers and authors Timothy Renner and Joshua Cutchin, who joined me to talk about their new co-written work Where the Footprints End: High Strangeness and the Bigfoot Phenomenon Volume One: Folklore. The book details Tim and Josh’s extensive research exploring the multitude of similarities between Bigfoot encounters and the folklore of other Fortean entities such as Fairies, Aliens, Witches and Ghosts. The connections they have found are numerous, and offer a compelling counterargument to the hypothesis that Bigfoot is simply a flesh and blood creature – an as yet undiscovered great ape, or relic hominid. It’s an exploration into the myriad oddities of the phenomena – the high strangeness mentioned in the title – and has been compared to the work Jacques Vallee has done writing about the true nature of UFOs. Both Tim and Josh have written extensively on a wide range of paranormal topics and are some of the most interesting voices in Fortean research right now, so it was a real treat to get them on the podcast to talk about their latest work. Enjoy! For more information about Tim's work please visit: https://www.strangefamiliars.com/ To find out more about Josh's work please visit https://www.joshuacutchin.com/ You can now donate to Some Other Sphere via Ko-fi. To buy the podcast a coffee, please visit https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast. Thank you! The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music - 'Hubbub' by Chris Martyn and Geoff Harvey.

My guest for this Halloween episode is author Keith Linder, who joined me to talk about the unsettling events he experienced for four years whilst living in a house in Bothell, a suburb of Seattle WA. These happenings started as soon as he and his partner moved in in 2012, and include almost everything you can imagine happening in a haunting, or poltergeist case. Unusually though, their house was not on old structure, or a building marked by a gruesome history. Still, what has happened within its walls has been terrifying enough for it to become known as the Bothell Hell House, and be visited by numerous paranormal investigators. It is a truly fascinating case of what it is like to experience malevolent paranormal activity first hand. Enjoy.. For more information on Keith's experiences at the house and his books, please visit https://demonsinseattle.com/. You can now also donate to Some Other Sphere via Ko-fi. To buy the podcast a coffee, please visit https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast. Thank you! The Some Other Sphere theme music is from Purple Planet Music - 'Hubbub', by Geoff Harvey/Chris Martyn. The track playing out this episode is 'Bogey Wail' by Jack Hylton and his Orchestra.

My guest for this episode is author, publisher, researcher and priestess Sorita d’Este. Sorita has been teaching and writing on a wide range of esoteric subjects for over twenty years, with her work being published in both mainstream and community magazines, websites and an impressive amount of books. This episode was inspired by one of these works, Isles of the Many Gods, which is a comprehensive A-Z of the many Pagan Gods and Goddesses worshipped in Britain from the Iron Age to the late Middle Ages. We talked about some of those deities, their origins and nature, along with Sorita's life long interest in exploring the many pathways of experiencing magic, mysticism, folklore and religion. Lovely stuff indeed. Enjoy! To find out more about Sorita and her books please visit http://sorita.co.uk/. You can now also support Some Other Sphere via Ko-fi - to buy the podcast a coffee go to https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast. Thank you! The Some Other Sphere theme music is from Purple Planet Music - 'Hubbub', by Geoff Harvey/Chris Martyn.

My guest for this episode is author Munya Andrews, who joined me to talk about her book Journey into Dreamtime, which is a guide to the ancient wisdom and beliefs that form the spiritual philosophy held by the aboriginal peoples of Australia. As well as being a writer, Munya is a lawyer, educator and an accomplished, influential voice in her community, well versed in traditional laws, customs and practises. She is also a much sought after public speaker, so it was an absolute privilege to talk with her about the Dreamtime and the magical world of her people, one which I knew very little of before reading her book I have to admit. To find out more about Munya and her work, please visit https://www.evolves.com.au/ You can now also support Some Other Sphere via Ko-fi - to buy the podcast a coffee, just go to https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast. Thank you! The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music - 'Hubbub' by Geoff Harvey/Chris Martyn.

My guest for this episode is researcher, author, adventurer and producer Ron Morehead, who joined me to talk about his research into the Bigfoot/Sasquatch phenomenon. Ron is best known for his Sierra Sounds project, where he and his colleagues have captured a compelling range of noises on tape made by unknown entities in the mountain forests of Northern California. These are the only recordings of their type that have been scientifically studied, time-tested, and accredited as being genuine and document a phenomenon Ron first experienced in the early 1970s, which persists to this day. He has also documented his personal interactions with these beings in his books, Voices in the Wilderness and The Quantum Bigfoot and recently appeared in the David Paulides documentary Missing 411: The Hunted. It was fantastic to get someone with Ron’s knowledge, experience and standing in Bigfoot research on the show to talk about his work and discuss the insights he has gained and the theories he has about what these creatures might be. If you want to find out more about Ron's research and his books, please go to https://ronmorehead.com/ You can now also support Some Other Sphere via Kofi. To buy the podcast a coffee, please visit https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast. Enjoy the show! The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music. 'Hubbub' by Geoff Harvey/Chris Martyn

My guest for this episode is Rebecca Hardcastle Wright, who joined me to talk about her work in the study and application of something she terms as Exoconsciousness. This describes a natural state of mind attained after a person has experienced what would be best understood as contact with alien intelligence – though not in the fashion most might think of. Rebecca has over thirty years experience as a mind body therapist and hypnotherapist and is the founder and director of the non-profit Institute for Exoconsciousness, which aims to help experiencers of the phenomenon use it in the creation of new technologies and development of new forms of communication, education and art with the goal of better preparing mankind for a future where spacefaring and interaction with alien intelligence is the norm. This may sound like science fiction, but Rebecca’s background includes working alongside Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell as part of his International Quantrek Science Team, who researched Zero Point Energy, the nature of consciousness and the presence of ET’s on Earth. The better understanding of these concepts and how that could be applied has long been of interest to the armed forces and intelligence agencies of many countries, not to mention big business, so it’s definitely something that has been taken seriously at the highest level for a very long time, but discouraged as a matter of interest for the general public. Rebecca’s work is really interesting, to say the least and a perfect subject matter for Some Other Sphere. We had a fun, wide ranging chat. Enjoy! To find out more about Rebecca and her work with Exoconsciousness please visit https://exoconsciousness.com/ You can now also support Some Other Sphere via Ko-Fi. To buy the podcast a coffee, please visit https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music. 'Hubbub' by Geoff Harvey/Chris Martyn

My guest for this episode is astrologer Maighdlin Kelly, who joined me talk about the fundamental concepts of this ancient practise. For thousands of years cultures across the world have developed complex systems for understanding and predicting earthly matters using observations of the night sky. For most of that time it was a respected academic pursuit alongside astronomy and meteorology, and an astrologer would be an important person in their community. In modern times however, mainstream society often depicts Astrology as nothing more than a pseudoscience. However if you take the time to understand its core concepts and get past the idea that astrology is nothing more than your daily horoscope, there is a fascinating tradition ready to explore, that can also help you make sense of a whole range of other esoteric ideas and areas of study. I heard about Maighdlin's work via the Hellier documentary series, where they helped the team with their investigation by offering an astrological insight into their investigations. So, I was delighted when they agreed to be a guest, and we had a really interesting chat. Enjoy! Maighdlin can be found on Twitter (@Weird_Astrology) and for more information on their Astrological work please visit https://weirdastrology.home.blog/ Recommended resources: BOOKS: You Were Born For This: Astrology for Radical Self Acceptance by Chani Nicholas: https://chaninicholas.com/you-were-born-for-this/ Horoscope Symbols by Robert Hand: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/952258.Horoscope_Symbols Planets in Transit by Robert Hand: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/766070.Planets_in_Transit Alan Oken's Complete Guide to Astrology: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20321931-alan-oken-s-complete-astrology The Inner Sky by Steven Forrest: https://portlandastrology.org/product/the-inner-sky/ Grendel by John Gardner: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/676737.Grendel GROUPS: Association for Young Astrologers ($20 for 1yr): https://youngastrologers.org/ Association For Astrological Networking ($30 for 1yr): https://www.afan.org/ APPS: Time Passages ios/android (free) AstroGold ios/android (paid) DaffMoonPhase android (free+paid versions) Sun Moon and Planets android (free) The Some Other Sphere theme music is from Purple Planet Music. 'Hubbub', by Geoff Harvey/Chris Martyn

My guest for this episode is Fortean researcher and author Anthony Tyler, who joined me to talk about his book Dive Manual: Empirical Investigations of Mysticism, which details his experiences researching a wide range of esoteric subjects, and the methodology he developed to best try to understand the results of those investigations, and their deeper meaning. Given the nature of the subject matter and it’s personal nature, the book is an impressive accomplishment and a fascinating insight into someone’s experiences engaging with weirdness head on. There was a lot to talk about, which is evidenced by the running time of this episode, the longest one of the podcast so far. It’s all killer though, I promise! To find out more about Anthony’s work and how to get a copy of his book, please visit https://www.divemind.net/ The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music. ‘Hubbub’ by Chris Martyn/Geoff Harvey

My guest for this episode is Steve Mills, who returned to talk with me about an interesting theory he has regarding the events behind the Rendlesham Forest UFO incident, perhaps the best known event of that type in the UK. To summarise, On 26 December 1980, unusual lights were reported in the vicinity of RAF Woodbridge in Suffolk, an airbase which was being being used by the USAF at the time. Initial investigation by airforce servicemen resulted in some reports of a glowing craft being sighted in the neighbouring forest but this could not be corroborated, and later investigation by the police also yielded no answers, though an unusual triangular set of impressions were discovered in the ground close to where the craft was reported. Further studies by the USAF two days later at the site of those markings would prompt more unusual activity. Whilst there isn’t a lot to indicate that what happened involved extra-terrestrials, that’s not to say something unusual didn't happen and Steves’s ideas as to what that might be are very interesting, and explore areas not often looked into by other researchers. Enjoy the episode! Steve (AKA The Most Reverend StarDoG) is @StarDoG23 on Twitter, and well worth a follow. The full MP3s of the Charles Halt tape can be found here. The Some Other Sphere Intro music is from Purple Planet Music: 'Hubbub' by Geoff Harvey/Chris Martyn.

My guest for this episode is author and Voodoo Priestess Lilith Dorsey, who joined me to discuss her new book Orishas, Goddesses and Voodoo Queens. Lilith has been a magickal practitioner for nearly thirty years, with training involving initiations in Santeria (also known as Lucumi), Haitian Voudon and New Orleans Voodoo. She is also the editor of the Oshun African Magical Quarterly, as well as an accomplished filmmaker and choreographer. Her new book explores the concept of the divine feminine in African religious traditions, and how it was understood and venerated both in Africa, as well as in the Caribbean and United States, where new magical practices emerged as a result of the diaspora of those people who were transported to the new world as victims of the slave trade and used ingenious methods to preserve their spiritual identity. It was a pleasure and a privilege to talk with her about these fascinating subjects. Enjoy the episode! For more information on Lilith's books and her Voodoo Universe blog, please visit https://lilithdorsey.com/. You can find her on Twitter @LilithDorsey. The Some Other Sphere intro music is from Purple Planet Music. ‘Hubbub’ by Chris Martyn/Geoff Harvey.

My guest for this episode is historian and author Thomas Waters, who joined me to talk about his 2019 book Cursed Britain: A History of Witchcraft and Black Magic in Modern Times. In the book Thomas explores the enduring nature of magic and witchcraft in the British Isles from 1800 up to the present day, how its popularity waxed and waned over those years and the societal factors that played a part in those fortunes. It also offers a fascinating insight into the lives of some of the people who engaged in these secretive practices, as well as those affected by them – people who transcended class divides, and lived all across the land, from large cities to remote islands. As soon as I found out about Thomas and his book last year, I knew I had to try and get him on the podcast, so it was great to make that happen. If you would like a copy of the book for your bookshelf, it can be obtained via Yale University Press and at all good book shops. Thomas also often discusses witchcraft on his Twitter page (@DrThomasWaters) and is a regular contributor to Folklore Thursday. The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music. ‘Hubbub’ by Chris Martyn/Geoff Harvey

My guest for this episode is author and UFO researcher Mike Clelland. In his 2015 book The Messengers, he explored the unusual connections between the alien abduction experience, synchronicities, and encounters with Owls. Mike’s own experience with such events was the foundation of that research, which has continued with two further books and is covered extensively at his Hidden Experiences website. He also hosts his own podcast, The Unseen. It was great to talk to him about his work, which is some of the most intriguing happening in Ufology right now, extending that field of study out into areas rarely explored before. To find out more about Mike's books, visit http://www.mikeclelland.com/. Enjoy the episode! The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music. ‘Hubbub’ by Chris Martyn/Geoff Harvey

My guest for this episode is Dr Becca Tarnas, who joined me to discuss her work exploring the concept of the imagination. Becca is a scholar, artist, counselling Astrologer and an expert in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Carl Jung, with a PhD in Philosophy and Religion from the California Institute of Integral Studies. We talked about her background in researching and exploring the nature of imagination, how the work and theories of Tolkien and Jung can help to offer an insight into that, and how it might be applied to further understanding paranormal phenomena. Really intriguing stuff, I hope you’ll agree. Enjoy! To find out more about Becca and her work, please visit https://beccatarnas.com/. The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music. ‘Hubbub’ by Chris Martyn/Geoff Harvey

In this episode I discuss the folklore of the Isle of Man with James Franklin. Born and raised on the island, James is the Online and Educational Resources Officer for Culture Vannin, an organisation created to support, protect and promote Manx Culture in inclusive, creative and engaging ways. As part of that he was recently involved in a project to re-print and publish a collection of Folklore compiled by Karl Roeder on the island at the beginning of the 20th Century, originally named Manx Notes and Queries and now splendidly titled Ghosts, Bugganes and Fairy Pigs. The book contains over two hundred and fifty notes, which include encounters with an impressively broad range of supernatural entities; ghost, faeries, witches, giants, and of course the legendary Buggane. There’s even an encounter with a UFO, described as a ‘big wheel of fire’. To find out more about Culture Vannin and the book, you can visit their website here. The song playing out this episode is a piece of traditional Manx folk music titled ‘Arrane ny Niee’, featuring Mona Douglas and David Kilgallon. It was a privilege to talk to James about the folklore of his homeland. Enjoy! The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music. ‘Hubbub’ by Chris Martyn/Geoff Harvey

In this episode I’m joined by Corjan Mol to discuss a mystery centered around a small village in the mountains of southern France called Rennes-le-Chateau. In the late 1800s there was a notable change in the financial situation of the local priest, who went from a state of abject poverty to one where he was able to spend considerable amounts of money on various building projects around Rennes. Rumours soon spread that he had found a fantastic treasure somewhere in or near the church, but the location and exact nature of that find has never been confirmed. Many people have researched and investigated the activities of the enigmatic priest since however, with compelling theories on the source of his wealth proposed and numerous books being written on the subject, the most famous perhaps being Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Henry Lincoln, Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, which really helped to popularise the mystery. Corjan has been investigating for over 25 years and has put together a comprehensive repository of information on his website about Rennes, including a podcast series, featuring interviews with some of the best known researchers of the mystery. He has also participated in a number of documentary series like Forbidden History and recently appeared in the current season of The Curse of Oak Island. The Rennes-le-Chateau mystery is something that has interested me for a long time and it was fantastic to be able to talk with someone as knowledgeable on the subject as Corjan. Enjoy! The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music. ‘Hubbub’ by Chris Martyn/Geoff Harvey

In this episode my guest is Dan Shaw, an author and researcher who specialises in Geomancy, an area of magic (or science depending on your viewpoint), that is concerned with understanding the unseen energies of the Earth. The main body of his work focuses on vortexes, specific areas on the globe where these energies are focused, and understanding what they are, how they can be detected, and their importance to humankind, going back many millennia. Indeed, Dan believes it is likely that many past civilisations had an intimate understanding of these vortexes and this can be seen in the many monumental structures that remain all across the globe, who construction and purpose remain as enigmatic as ever and provide a fascinating glimpse into a the deep past of human history, one alive with lost technologies. You can find our more about Dan's work at http://www.vortexmaps.com/ and http://www.danshaw.com/. The Some Other Sphere theme is from https://www.purple-planet.com/. 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

My guest for this episode is historian and paranormal researcher Amanda Woomer, who is the creator of Spook Eats, a blog detailing her travels, both in the United States and further afield, visiting a range of bars, cafes, restaurants and hotels, all with a unusual, spooky story to tell and very tasty food to eat. Added this she has recently released her book A Haunted Atlas of Western New York, a fun, detailed resource of supernatural goings on in her part of the world, containing over 130 haunted locations in the region. I really like the concept of the Spook Eats blog and think combining a love a food with a fascination for the weird is a novel approach to paranormal investigation. We had a really interesting chat, which I hope you enjoy. The Spook Eats blog and more details on Amanda's book can be found at https://spookeats.com/. The Some Other Sphere theme is from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

In the early 1930’s, a very odd story emerged from the Isle of Man, a small island located in the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland. A man called James Irving had reported to his friends that an unusual animal similar to a weasel had taken up residence on his farm. Although the scratching sounds and other weird noises were relatively explainable, what was remarkable in this instance was that, according to Irving, this creature could talk, and perform a range of unusual feats. It would eventually come to be known as Gef, who identified himself as a mongoose who had been born in 1852 in Delhi, India. His activities with the Irving family over the next few years after would baffle and intrigue a variety of interested parties, including Harry Price, perhaps the most famous investigator of the paranormal in Britain at the time. Despite this interest, a satisfying conclusion to the mystery was never reached, yet the case of the ‘Dalby Spook’ still fascinates people all these years later, including my guest for this episode, Christoper Josiffe, who in 2017 released his book Gef! The Strange Tale of an Extra-Special Talking Mongoose, a brilliantly researched and definitive account of this case. I’ve been fascinated by the story of Gef for many years and it was a real pleasure to get Christopher onto the podcast to talk all about him. For more information on Christopher's book and to purchase it, please visit https://gefmongoose.co.uk/book/. The Some Other Sphere is from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

My guest for this episode is witch and paranormal researcher, Sara Schick. Sara lives in the city of Vancouver in Washington State and recently started investigating the legacy of a mysterious figure from the towns past called Mother Joseph, a remarkable renaissance woman and visionary who played a huge part in bringing the city into existence. Integral to this were the Hidden family, who Mother Joseph transformed from farmers to expert brick-makers. Years later, the buildings made from those bricks which have survived into the present almost all have a reputation for being haunted and the ‘Hidden Bricks’, as they been named, are well known in local folklore. Sara’s research is fascinating, and a great example of what can be uncovered when someone takes an interest in their local history. Lovely stuff…about bricks! For more information on Sara's research, visit her excellent blog https://weirdlifepdx.blogspot.com/. The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

My guest for this episode is Dick Khan, author of the DMT & My Occult Mind book series. In those texts, Dick documents his personal research into the effects of using the drug Dimethyltryptamine, which is a powerful hallucinogen and a key component in Ayahuasca, a drink used by several indigenous tribal cultures in South America as part of their spiritual practises. It is often referred to as “The Spirit Molecule”. Dick’s books also detail the encounters he had while taking DMT with a variety of unusual entities, which inhabited the occult reality that his use of the drug enabled him to experience and ponder on their nature. They’re a fascinating insight into one persons occult studies and this subject matter made for a really great interview. Enjoy! Dick's books can be bought from Amazon here and he can also be found on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The Some Other Sphere theme is from Purple Planet Music 'Hubbub' by Chris Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

For the first time here at Sphere HQ, we have a returning guest, Matt Hopewell, who was on the show last year to talk about Discordianism. This time around we’re discussing some of the unusual phenomena he’s experienced over the years and his thoughts on what might have been happening. This includes a discussion on Gorillas, which I’m not sure either of us anticipated, but was just as fascinating as the poltergeist Phenomena and possible Fae encounter he also describes in this episode. Fun stuff as ever, especially if you like Gorillas! Enjoy! Matt's excellent blog can be found at https://www.apstrange.com/ and for more information on the Liminal Earth project, visit https://liminal.earth/. Some Other Sphere intro music is from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

Hello! In this episode I discuss the life and work of the artist, writer and occultist, Ithell Colquhoun with Dr Amy Hale. Ithell Colquhoun is perhaps best known as a member of the surrealist art movement in the 1930’s and 40’s both in London and Paris but she was also deeply interested in a variety of esoteric subjects and her art was part of a larger, long term magical practise that encompassed an range of unusual projects, exploring the magical qualities of colour and shape as a means to engage with other worlds and dimensions. Amy is a scholar of occult, esoteric and marginal cultures, with a PhD in Folklore and Mythology from UCLA. She has written on a range of diverse topics, including modern Druidry, colour theory, the occult, and extremist politics in modern Paganism. 2020 will see the publication of her biography of Ithell Colquhoun, Genius of the Fern Loved Gully, a work twenty years in the making and something I think is both very much worth the wait, and timely (for more information on Amy and her work, you can find here excellent website here). We had a really lovely chat, I think this is a great episode to kick off 2020 with. Enjoy! Some Other Sphere intro music is from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

My guest for this episode is Kiki Dombrowski. Kiki is a spiritual researcher and explorer, and has spent her life studying mythology, magic, witchcraft and the supernatural. She has been reading Tarot for over 25 years and is the author of two books, the latest of which, A Curious Future is a guidebook to some of the more unusual techniques people have used over thousands of years to try and predict the future. Currently living in Nashville TN, Kiki is also a really positive and generous presence on social media when it comes to all things weird and wonderful and it was a delight to get her on the podcast, to talk about her life and work. To find out more about Kiki I recommend you visit her excellent website which can be found here and you can find her on Twitter too. Her book, 'A Curious Future' can be purchased via Amazon online. Some Other Sphere Intro Music is from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

My guest for this episode is Steve Mills, a listener to the podcast who contacted me with details of ghostly phenomena he and some friends encountered in Birmingham, England back in the 1980’s that is intriguing to say the least. I talked with him about those experiences and his thoughts on their nature, and what it might suggest on a broader scale when it comes to trying to understand the supernatural. It was a really fun chat. If you’ve had had a similar experience and would be interested in discussing it in an episode, you can email me at [email protected]. Enjoy! Some Other Sphere theme music is from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

In this episode I talk about the life and works of the artist Leonora Carrington with Dr Kate Laity. Leonora Carrington is often considered part of the surrealist movement of the early 20th Century but her artwork is full of purposeful, esoteric symbology and otherworldly creatures, and often related to deeply personal events from her very eventful life. She also had a deep interest in mythology and the occult and this would inform her creative output throughout her career. Alongside her art she was also an accomplished author with her most famous work perhaps being The Hearing Trumpet , a novel centered on nonagenarian Marian Leatherby, who is gifted the eponymous trumpet, and her adventures at the very unusual old peoples homes she is banished to by her family. Like her artwork, the book is full of mysticism and mystery. Kate, my guest is an award winning author, scholar & critic, serving both as History Witch for Witches & Pagans and as Associate Professor of English at the College of Saint Rose. She recently gave a talk about Leonora Carrington at the fantastic Treadwells bookshop in London, which was the inspiration for this episode. You can find out more about Kate and her work at her website https://kalaity.com/. Enjoy! Episode Image: 'Self Portrait' by Leonora Carrington Some Other Sphere theme music is from https://www.purple-planet.com/. 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

My guest for this episode is Andy Burnham, creator of the Megalithic Portal website. What started out as a small database of ancient sites in the late 1990’s is now an extensive and detailed Archaeological resource, lovingly sourced by people like Andy who are interested in the myriad ancient stone circles, Henges and other such structures that dot the landscape. The website was such a success that it led to the publication in 2018 of a book called The Old Stones, a beautiful field guide to the Megalithic sites of Britain and Ireland that was named Current Archaeology’s book of the year for 2019. Whilst providing a comprehensive level of information about Neolithic and Bronze Age sites across the British Isles, it also includes articles that speculate about the phenomenology of these places, the people who built them and the artifacts they left behind, and what such sites might tell us about the cosmology, religion, magic, science and culture of those times. It’s a lovely book and it was great to talk with Andy about what led to its creation. Fascinating stuff all round, Enjoy! 'The Old Stones: A Field guide to the Megalithic Sites of Britain and Ireland' can be found at the Megalithic Portal website, on Amazon here and at all good book shops. Some Other Sphere theme music is from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

"Do you ever go somewhere, and have a strong emotional response to it, such as happiness, nostalgia or fear? Have you ever wondered why we look for meaning in places and develop stories or legends about them over time? Well these behaviours are known as a sense of place..." Those are the words of my guest for this episode, Ailish Jane, creator of the excellent Sense of Place Podcast. Ailish has interviewed a fascinating array of people on subjects that relate to the effect that certain sites can have on people and communities, going past the tangible and towards something more sublime, where buildings and other places can develop their own personalities and character, and myths and legends can emerge. Even once gone, such places can still have their own ghosts which haunt the area they once occupied, and be mourned by the people that remember their passing. In the episode we talked more about what a sense of place is and how it manifests, it’s importance in helping people form a connection to their local area and maintain a sense of community, as well as preserving the heritage of our towns and cities and creating new folklore. Lovely stuff! Background sounds at beginning of episode: https://freesound.org/people/meisterleise/sounds/353259/ Some Other Sphere theme music is from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

Folklore is a wonderful thing. It is deep rooted in the human experience and is a vital component of countless cultures throughout time. There are some startling similarities in the beings and legends encountered across the globe, but also unique differences that set apart a cultures mythic landscape. A wonderful example of this is Japan, a land long shrouded in mystery and hidden from the west, which developed a storytelling tradition replete with a menagerie of unusual entities ready to leap from subconscious and into the real world. These beings are usually classed as Yokai, which is a term that itself can encompass a whole range of familiar creatures – goblins, ghosts, monsters, as well as humans and animals that possess an unusual talent or quality but it also includes urban legends and various paranormal phenomena. My guest for this episode is illustrator and author, Matthew Meyer. Matthew is an expert on Yokai and has published three books on the subject. He is also an accomplished artist and you can find examples of his work and writing on his wonderful website Yokai.com, which is a comprehensive A-Z guide to the phenomena. For further details about Matthew's books and artwork, as well as his blog and Patreon page, please visit http://matthewmeyer.net/ Music for Some Other Sphere theme is from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martin/Geoff Harvey

This episode begins with a quote from my guests: “Spooky things happen every day all around us! Instead of brushing these peculiar moments and bizarre encounters off as chance, or mere coincidence, what if we talked about them, mapped them, and tried to decode the message?” Well, that’s what Garrett Kelly and Jeremy Puma have done with the Liminal Earth Project, which they describe as a map of the strange, wonderful, weird and unexpected. They both have a background in researching and investigating the unusual and this led them to come up with the idea of putting their experiences on a map, and then opening that up to the general public, allowing the project to be crowd sourced. Experiences can be recorded on the map under a wide range of categories, including ghosts, cryptids and UFOs but also more unusual subjects like Dark Forces, Time Distortions, and ‘Thin’ places. It’s a really novel idea and is one which I think has amazing potential. As soon as discovered the map I knew I should get these guys on and discuss their adventures in Liminal Cartography. To find out more about the map, go to https://liminal.earth/, where you can add your own experiences, become a Patreon of the project, or even volunteer to become an ambassador for your local area. Garrett and Jeremy also talked about the project recently in an interview with journalist MJ Banias for VICE magazine which you can read here. Intro Music: Music from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martyn/Geoff Harvey.

Recently, whilst out on a run, I went too near some stinging nettles and OUCH! – got stung. Luckily, I immediately knew what to do. I found a dock leaf of course, and rubbed the affected area. Pain over and my run was saved! I feel like I’ve always known that cure and I’m sure it’s something that most of you will have been told as a child as well. It is a very old piece of knowledge that has lasted over countless generations, just one of many nuggets of wisdom about plants which has survived, along with things like carrots being good for your eyes, and mint aiding digestion, through story, song and at learned at the knee of a family elder. It comes from a time when it was vital to have an understanding of the botanical world around you..of those plants which were nice, and those that were not so nice. My guest for this episode is Amanda Edmiston. Amanda is a professional storyteller, with a background and ancestry steeped in knowledge of Herbal Medicine. Her stories involve a wide range of characters from myth and legend and their encounters with and uses of herbs, flowers, trees, weeds..and a whole lot more. Plants and herbs have always been an important to her and it was fascinating to talk to about their folklore, and the wisdom contained there, not just about what they can be used for, but also how to treat them with respect, and work with them to a mutual advantage. In a time when modern society faces some of it’s greatest ever ecological challenges, these stories are more relevant than ever and offer a chance to connect with nature on a whole new level. In the interview, we also discussed the use of certain plants in sympathetic magic, as well as the current growing popularity of permaculture. It was excellent stuff all round. For more details on Amanda's work, her wonderful website can be found here. Intro music: Music from https://www.purple-planet.com/ 'Hubbub' by Chris Martyn/Geoff Harvey.

When it comes to cryptids, one of the most famous of all is the Loch Ness Monster. However there are many other lakes around the world where it is believed creatures from Earth’s distant past have survived, even thrived – and some of these could well have more evidence to back them up than dear old Nessie. A great example is Champ – the mysterious denizen of Lake Champlain in the United States. Sightings of an unusual creature have been reported for hundreds of years, as well as phenomena such as UFO sightings, and ghostly pirates. My guest for this episode is cryptozoologist and filmmaker, Aleksandar Petakov. Aleksandar is a native of New England and in 2018 made a documentary called 'On the Trail of Champ', where he visited the lake, the communities that sit on its shore, and met some of the people who have seen the creature, whatever it may be. In his next documentary he investigates the numerous mysterious sightings of mountain lions in the North Eastern United States, a species long thought to be long extinct in that area. I talked with Aleksandar about how he has combined his loves of film making and cryptozoology, and the insights he has gained from his projects as to what sort of creatures might be out there, yet to be discovered. For more information on his film projects, you can visit his website here. If you'd like to view the news clip that started the episode, you can find it on Youtube. Intro music: 'Hubbub' - Purple Planet Music.

My guest for this episode is Aaron Gulyas, author of books such as Extraterrestrials and the American Zeitgest and The Chaos Conundrum as well as being the creator of The Saucer Life podcast, where he examines the folkloric aspect to the Flying Saucer phenomenon and explores the history and lore of Ufology through the lens of individual stories of encounters, sightings, concepts or events. I think he’s one of the most insightful voices exploring the history of UFOs right now and we had a really interesting conversation about his interest in this subject and the novel approach adopted to exploring it’s many fascinating characters. Albert K Bender, John Keel, Mothman, Hellier and a whole lot more were discussed. You can find The Saucer Life podcast here and his books are available on Amazon. For the full clip of the 1947 Kenneth Arnold radio interview click here. Podcast Image: Thinkstock Intro Music: 'Hubbub' from Purple Planet Music.

This weeks episode is about a remarkable woman from Victorian Wales called Lady Charlotte Guest and her quest to preserve the folklore and legends of her adopted homeland, which would be published as the Mabinogion, widely regarded today as one of the most important collections of medieval prose literature in Europe. The stories it contains began life as part of an oral storytelling tradition in Britains ancient past, featuring political intrigue, bickering royalty, warring armies, noble warriors, brave princesses, wizards, magical technology, trickster like anti heroes, monsters and many other archetypal characters and settings. Before it’s publication there was no such genre of fantasy fiction and it’s influence on our understanding of Arthurian legend as well as other works by authors such as J.R.R Tolkien, Evangeline Walton, Alan Garner and Robert Holdstock cannot be taken for granted. My guest is Siân Esther Powell. Siân is studying for Masters in Celtic Studies and is the creator and host of the excellent Celtic Myths and Legends Podcast. We talked about Lady Charlotte and the scale of the project she undertook to locate and preserve the stories that would make up the Mabinogion, explore what these stories can tell us about ancient Britain and the use of stories in that time to engage with the imagination, and of course look at one of the fantastic stories that make up this incredible work. You can find Siân on Twitter here.

Shirley Jackson’s novel ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, written in 1959 is considered one of the best ghost stories of the 20th Century and is seen as highly influential in the depiction of hauntings in literature in modern times. The protagonist of the story is Eleanor Vance. The novel opens with her travelling to the titular house to be part of a scientific investigation she has been invited to by Dr Montague. Eleanor is a troubled character and her arrival at Hill House instigates a series of unsettling events, that defy rational explanation. We’re never quite sure who or what is really behind the occurrences that happen at the house. It’s a fascinating portrayal of a haunting and was prescient in its depiction of how such events could be investigated scientifically, and how people would go on to theorise about the nature of ghosts and hauntings. My guest for this episode is Kellye McBride. Kellye is a writer and journalist and an expert on Shirley Jacksons work. We talk about The Haunting of Hill House and the events in the authors real life that may have inspired some elements of the story, and in other of her novels such as The Lottery and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. These highly imaginative stories all contain troubled characters trapped in an unfriendly setting, which prompts disturbing events which are hard to fully understand. Although works of fiction, it is clear that Shirley Jackson drew inspiration from real life and this episode is ultimately a discussion of how the ideas and themes in her works can be used to explore the weirdness of the real world today. Kellye's excellent articles on the Sublime Horror website can be found here: https://www.sublimehorror.com/books/legacy-shirley-jacksons-hill-house/ https://www.sublimehorror.com/books/the-lottery-banality-of-evil/

Interest in the Occult is a strong as ever in the 21st Century. When you consider that these subjects are usually those that sit outside of acceptance by mainstream science or organised religion but can have a deep connection to human experience, it’s easy to understand the appeal – and I say that as someone who is very interested. It’s interesting that a lot of these idea are devalued by the mainstream as much as they every were. Why is that? To get a better understanding of this, my guest for this episode is Matt Frederick. Matt is a practicing magician and expert in all things hidden. We talked about his own introduction to the Occult, explore the makeup of modern day Occulture and why these ideas are valuable to help deal with the materialistic mainstream we all have to negotiate daily. It was a fascinating chat. To find out more about Matt you can find him on Twitter here. For more information on the book 'Condensed Chaos' by Phil Hine which was discussed in the episode click here. I also highly recommend Carl Abrahamsson's Occulture website if you enjoyed this episode.

When you think of magic, two things will usually come to mind; an artist on stage, performing fantastic acts such as card tricks, illusions, mind reading and hypnosis; or a more esoteric practice – someone, usually by themselves, enacting a ritual in an attempt influence their world by invoking supernatural assistance. In some ways, there would seem to be some similarities between these two scenarios. My guest for this episode is Mark Bell, who has performed all across the world as the ‘magical mystery artist’ Mark Obscura. He is an expert in Hypnosis, Mentalism and Illusion among many other talents and has led a life regularly interrupted by unusual incidents featuring ghosts, unexplained lights in the sky and a range of puzzling synchronicities. As such he has an open minded approach to understanding the relationship between his career and these odd life experiences that made for a really interesting conversation. To find out more about Mark, you can follow him on Twitter or visit his website here. (James Randi clip provided from Wikipedia)

In the late 1950’s, two high school friends, Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley would regularly meet at their local bowling alley in East Whittier, California to hang out and talk long into the night about the issues of the day and the limits of the world that they lived in – one they felt was based all to willingly on order and control. What if there was a different way of engaging with the world, something more chaotic, unpredictable and fun? These conversations and an affection for a certain Greek Goddess led them to create the joke religion – or religious joke, depending on your perspective – called Discordianism, which included a text called the Principia Discordia. It’s creation would see Greg and Kerry become entangled with Lee Harvey Oswald and the aftermath the JFK assassination, confuse the authorities with ‘Culture Jamming’ and play a pivotal role in influencing conspiracy theory culture as we know it today. My guest is paranormal researcher Matt Hopewell, who is an aficionado of Discordianism and it’s prodigiously strange history.This is probably as unusual a Sphere as we’ve explored so far. Matt's blog is now up and running and can be found here. For more information on Discordianism, I recommend visiting Adam Gorightly's excellent website 'Historia Discordia'.

In this episode, I discuss Tarot with Elin Heron, who has been a Tarot reader for over twenty years and also hosts regular classes and workshops for people interested in learning more about the cards. I’m very much a novice myself, and as such, this episode is a beginners guide, discussing the origins of Tarot, it’s evolution from a renaissance card game into an occult resource, the Major and Minor Arcana and how to best start using a Tarot deck for readings. It was a pleasure to talk with Elin and learn more about this fascinating subject. Click here to visit the Derbyshire Tarot website where you can find Elin's excellent blog and details on the Tarot workshops and classes she teaches. Elin can also be found on Twitter.

Creswell Crags is a limestone gorge running from east to west on the border of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire in England. Each side of it peppered with caves and until earlier this year, the site was most famous for spectacular cave art made by hunter gatherers many thousands of years ago. A recent discovery has added a fascinating aspect to the history of the site however. What was thought to be Victorian graffiti turned out instead to be a vast array of protective marks, or "Witch Marks" dating back to the 17th century. It is thought that people would usually be making these to ward off evil, and prevent malevolent forces gaining access to our world. My guest for this episode is Alison Fearn, one of the archaeologists involved in deciphering this incredible discovery. We talked about the history of protective marks, why those found at Creswell are so important, and what might have been going on to cause such a remarkable display of superstition. To find out more about Creswell Crags, you can find their website here.

My guest for this episode is author and host of the Myth Legend and Lore podcast, Siobhán Clark. In her podcast Siobhán discusses a wide range of stories from her native Scotland, which feature a fascinating mix of characters and settings, and date far back into the early history of the nation. We talked about the storytelling traditions of the people of those times, the cultures they came from, and of course look at some of legends and mythical creatures that have haunted the imaginations of Scots for over a thousand years, perhaps even longer. I heartily recommend checking out the excellent Myth Legend and Lore podcast, which you can find on Twitter here, as well as on all good Podcast apps. Siobhán's first novel, “The Children of Midgaard” is available on Amazon here.

My guest for this episode is Shanon Sinn, the author of a book called “The Haunting of Vancouver Island”. He has lived on the Canadian island for over twenty years and in that time has formed a deep, personal connection with the wildlife, landscape and people who live there. His book examines a wide range of supernatural tales, from first nations legends, through the early days of European settlement, and onward into more recent times. Shanon is an award winning journalist and author, whose life story could be a book in itself. His connection to Vancouver Island gives a real depth to the stories he has featured in the book and make it an excellent read. It was a pleasure to have him on the podcast. Shanon's website can be found here: You can find "The Haunting Of Vancouver Island" on Amazon here.

My guest for this episode is Chris Reeve, the creator of a blog called “The Gotobed Diaries”. The blog details his discovery of the case files of one Doctor Thomas Gotobed, who appears to have been (or still is) some kind of researcher of the occult. The files themselves vary between reports on paranormal incidents and the good doctor’s own thoughts on various theories about the supernatural. Is Doctor Gotobed real? Well, I’ll let Chris tell you that. What I can say is that we had a really interesting talk about a broad range of supernatural subjects, from Werewolves, to Tulpas, Poltergeists and The Kraken. Enjoy! The excellent Gotobed Diaries blog can be found here:

My guest for this episode is author and folklore blogger Icy Sedgwick. Icy has written several novels and short stories, many of which involve the supernatural. She is also a keen folklorist, writing a blog on an array of fascinating subjects and regularly contributing to "Folklore Thursday" on Twitter. We talked about her interests in the paranormal and writing, how the concept of a haunting varies in the writings of authors such as Charles Dickens, M.R James and Shirley Jackson, the depiction of the supernatural in books and on film and how that can influence theories on unknown phenomena in the "real" world. Icy's excellent website, where you can find her blog and details on how to get her books can be found here.

For this episode, my guest is comedian and Cryptozoologist Matt Kessen, who combined a lifelong obsession with monsters with his natural funnybones to create the phenomenon that is “ Reverend Matt’s Monster Science” – a regularly updated comedy show he presents that has covered an impressively broad range of subjects, most notable of which is perhaps “What to do in the event of a Dinosaur attack”. Matt has received praise from no other than Guillermo Del Toro for his work (“You’re my kind of guy!”) , so it was a real privilege to get him on the podcast. We talked about Dinosaurs, The Devil, Dragons, Kaiju and a whole lot more, it was a great chat. Enjoy! To find out more about Matt and his work, you can find his website at: https://revmattsmonsterscience.com/

Firstly, Happy New Year! My guest for this episode is Madra Banrion, who discusses her experiences with Ancestor Veneration and Animism. Going into the recording, I only new the basics about these subjects but Madra was an excellent guest and led a really interesting conversation about these practices, which at first might seem esoteric but in reality, are probably something we already have at least a little experience of in our everyday lives. Madra's excellent website is: https://madrabanrion.com/ Her article about Ancestor Veneration on the Plentiful Earth website is definitely worth a read and can be found here: https://plentifulearth.com/what-is-ancestor-veneration/ Enjoy!

My guest for this episode is Andy McGrath, a UK based Cryptozoologist with over 25 years of research experience investigating reports of unknown creatures living right under our noses here in the British Isles. He's the author of an excellent blog called "Beasts of Britain", has brought out a book of the same name and is now working on a TV series. He's also spoken at events such as CryptidCon and the International Cryptozoology Conference. We talked about how his interest in Cryptozoology started and discussed some of his favourite investigations in the UK, which include a creature in Lake Windermere (Bownessie), Bigfoot reports in Surrey and Staffordshire and a very odd, very large winged thing seen late at night in a Scottish Graveyard... LINKS: Andy's Beasts of Britain blog can be found here: http://beastsofbritain.blogspot.com/2018/ The Beasts of Britain book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beasts-Britain-Andrew-M-L-McGrath/dp/1549938983 The BoB post on Bownessie: http://beastsofbritain.blogspot.com/2017/02/ The BoB post on "The Black Country Stalker": http://beastsofbritain.blogspot.com/2018/07/

In this episode I talk to Dr Alan Montgomery who is the creator of the "My Search for Magic" blog. Alan has traveled across the United Kingdom and Europe visiting various sites, both man made and natural, that have a legend attached to them and possess an otherworldy quality. He writes about the people, places and things which bring magic into his life. In his own words, he describes it as "looking for magic in the modern world". We talked about what inspired him to start the blog, some of the favourite places he's been to and how to start your own search. The MSFM blog can be found here: https://mysearchformagic.com/ Here is the blog post about Yester Castle: https://mysearchformagic.com/2013/01/03/yester-castle-east-lothian/