Topic: Cryptid

A personal childhood encounter with a primal, half-human, half-animal being is framed as a potential fairy or forest spirit sighting. Jacques Vallee’s "thermostat model" is invoked to explain how absurd paranormal phenomena are designed to bypass official reality and impact the collective imagination. These experiences are suggested to be formative for individuals who later go on to influence culture, such as the creation of The Higherside Chats podcast.

The hosts examine Jim Brandon’s book, The Rebirth of Pan, which details numerical patterns in paranormal sightings and cryptid appearances. Brandon highlights the recurrence of the numbers 23 and 33 in events ranging from the first Loch Ness Monster article in 1933 to phantom airship sightings. These numbers are described as key ley line markers that weave through Fortean history.

Reports of mermaid sightings have surfaced in modern times, notably in Kiryat Yam, Israel, in 2009, and frequently in Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, government officials have attributed delays in dam construction to the presence of hounding mermaids, and local accounts describe children being dragged underwater by these creatures. These modern reports suggest a continuing presence of the aquatic humanoid entities mentioned in ancient Assyrian and Indian carvings.

Greg Carlwood introduces Fortean researcher Lon Strickler, the creator of the Phantoms and Monsters blog. Strickler has documented personal encounter reports since 2005 and authored nine books on cryptids, including Winged Cryptids and Humanoid Monsters. The discussion highlights Strickler's dedication to providing a platform for witnesses to share sightings of strange creatures that fall outside standard UAP categories.

A witness report from January 14, 2023, describes a large winged creature encountered while driving west on Route 165 toward Route 159 in Illinois. The witness observed a being with a massive wingspan fly over their car during a rainy morning commute. Lon Strickler notes that this report is consistent with other sightings in the South Chicago and Northwest Indiana regions.

Lon Strickler details a profound sighting from the spring of 2022 near Reading, Pennsylvania, involving a bipedal hyena-like creature. The witness, Matt Harliac, observed the entity in a tree at French Creek State Park and subsequently joined Strickler's research team. This case is part of a larger trend of over 25 cryptid canine sightings reported in Pennsylvania since 2013.

Greg Carlwood reflects on the interview with Lon Strickler, noting the researcher's occasional resistance to storytelling and the challenges of the recording session during a Florida thunderstorm. Carlwood promotes the Higher Side Chats Plus membership, teasing additional segments on the Dupont family, man-faced deer, and the Brandywine State Park ram-horned man. He emphasizes his commitment to providing high-quality content regardless of guest participation levels.

The guest addresses the phenomenon of cryptids like Bigfoot and Mothman, using them to illustrate the difference between skepticism and cynicism. He argues that "armchair skeptics" who dismiss eyewitness accounts without field investigation are actually practicing methodical cynicism. He contrasts this with the scientific acceptance of the Higgs boson, which most people cannot personally verify, whereas cryptid phenomena can be directly investigated by those with the ethics to "go and look."

Fortean experiences like UFO sightings and cryptid encounters may involve a psychical process where the observer "selects" an outcome from infinite possibilities. This concept aligns with quantum mechanics and the Schrodinger's cat thought experiment, where measurement actualizes a specific reality from a state of superposition. These anomalous events might occur when human psyches move through different intersections of time or dimensions.

In September 1979, a series of intense vocalizations were reported near the Hollenbeck family home. Bruce's grandmother and aunt described ungodly shrieks and moans coming from behind a shed. The encounter culminated in Bruce's cousin firing a shotgun into the air to scare off the entities, which reportedly screamed before fleeing into the woods.

The research team documented a white humanoid figure peeking from behind trees near their campsite at 0200 hours. Additionally, multiple members recorded "Samurai Chatter," a type of complex vocalization associated with Bigfoot research and the Sierra Sounds. These events suggest the location is a multi-disciplinary hotspot where various paranormal phenomena, including cryptids and UAPs, overlap.

Returning to the topic of the paranormal, Dubin suggests that shifts in Earth's electromagnetic field may alter human sensory perception. He posits that ancient petroglyphs of strange beings were actually depictions of atmospheric plasma displays. He speculates that as the planet's frequency changes, humans may begin to see "mythical" creatures that were previously outside our visual spectrum.

Tony Merkel, host of The Confessionals podcast and founder of Merkel Media, joins the program to discuss his work providing a safe space for paranormal eyewitnesses. Merkel transitioned from a career as a truck driver to a full-time paranormal investigator and documentarian. The discussion highlights his new documentary, Expedition Dogman, which investigates a violent encounter in the field.

Greg Carlwood summarizes his current model for paranormal phenomena, blending Patrick Harper's "Daemonic Reality" with Dr. Greg Little's plasma theories. He suggests that cryptids and other encounters are likely aspects of a single multi-dimensional "bleed over" facilitated by plasma. Carlwood also reflects on his decision to stay in his "lane" as a host rather than becoming a full-time field investigator.

Greg Carlwood and Peter Mark Adams discuss the possibility that cryptid sightings, such as Bigfoot or Dogman, are linked to a person's energetic self or specific locations. They reference Skinwalker Ranch as an example of a "geopsychic" dimension where the interface between worlds is thin. Adams suggests that some individuals possess a natural "sight" that attracts these phenomena.

Carlwood shares personal experiences with the "paranormal," including a telepathic warning that prompted him to wear a seatbelt seconds before a major car accident. He also recounts seeing a strange, uncategorizable hybrid creature in the woods during kindergarten. He uses these stories to argue that people should trust their own experiences over the "expert" materialist worldview that often brainwashes individuals into dismissing their own memories.

The host previews the second hour of the show for Plus subscribers, which covers the moon's oddities, NASA fakery, and Jaron's contact with rapper B.O.B. A future episode regarding flying humanoid sightings in Chicago is also mentioned. The show concludes with the standard closing music and a summary of the benefits of the subscription service.

The host announces several show milestones, including award nominations and a feature on the television show Portlandia. A unique personal message is delivered as Hannah asks Corey Cook to marry her, breaking tradition with a female-led proposal. The segment transitions into an overview of the upcoming interview covering ancient giants, cryptids, and national park disappearances.

A story is shared regarding an individual named Darren who encountered a nine-foot-tall horned creature on a reservation. Despite shooting the entity three times in the chest, no blood was found, and a local medicine man reportedly died of a heart attack shortly thereafter.

Weidner describes his first-hand exploration of the massive lava tubes beneath the Mount Shasta plateau, which he believes could house anything from cryptids to UFOs. He notes the presence of "Military Road" on the uninhabited eastern side of the mountain, suggesting the existence of a secret underground military installation. The vast, unexplored nature of the mountain's interior provides a plausible setting for clandestine activities.