Some Other Sphere

Episode 40 - Anthony Tyler - Empirical Investigations of Mysticism

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
 

Episode 39 - Steve Mills - Thoughts on the Rendlesham Forest UFO Incident

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.
 

Episode 38 - Lilith Dorsey - Orishas, Goddesses and Voodoo Queens

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.
 

Episode 37 - Dr Thomas Waters - Cursed Britain

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
 

Episode 36 - Mike Clelland - Owls, Synchronicity and the UFO Abductee

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
 

Episode 35 - Dr Becca Tarnas - Journeying to the Imaginal Realm

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
 
 

Episode 34 - James Franklin - Manx Notes and Queries

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
 

Episode 33 - Corjan Mol - The Mystery of Rennes-le- Chateau

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
 

Episode 32 - Dan Shaw - Vortexes and Earth Energies

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
 

Episode 31 - Amanda Woomer - The Spook Eats Blog

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