Topic: Bristol

Dr. Jack Hunter, an anthropologist from the University of Bristol, joins the program to discuss his research into spirit mediums and models of consciousness. Hunter is the author of Engaging the Anomalous and the founder of the journal Paranthropology. The discussion frames anthropology as a unique discipline for investigating the "borderlands" of religion and the paranormal.

A psychedelic experience involving magic mushrooms and sightings of goblin-like creatures influenced the direction of a researcher's career toward investigating fringe topics. This path led to the discovery of the Bristol Spirit Lodge, a small group dedicated to trance and physical mediumship located near the researcher's home. The group provided a case study for why people believe in spirits, concluding that belief stems from direct experience.

A spirit entity named Charlie, who claimed to be a former Chinese monk, communicated regularly through a medium at the Bristol Spirit Lodge. Charlie described himself not as a single source, but as a collective manifestation involving the spirit, the conscious host, and the subconscious host. This "blending" requires a state of common trust between all three components to allow the entity to manifest.

The "Smiley Face Killings" involve a series of mysterious deaths of young, collegiate males across the US and UK whose bodies are found in water near smiley face graffiti. Researcher William Ramsey has documented these cases, suggesting they are the work of a coordinated group rather than a single serial killer. The ritualistic nature of these events may be connected to the broader occult symbolism found in the music industry.