Topic: Jeffrey Kripal

The mechanics of the afterlife are explored through the "tunnel to the garden" motif, a transition phase found across diverse cultures including ancient Egypt and South Asia. Analysis of Elizabeth Krohn’s book, Changed in a Flash, co-authored with Jeffrey Kripal, suggests that incarnation is an optional choice rather than a mandatory cycle of suffering as depicted in some Buddhist traditions. The spirit world is described as an eternal state where souls can choose to fold back into human timelines for specific missions, such as "bounce missions" involving short-lived infants.

The "Watchers" from the Book of Enoch are re-examined as fallen angels who were punished for their desire to teach and engage with humanity. Peter Gray’s work suggests that these stories represent a proto-Judaic shamanism where the spirit world was not strictly divided into good and evil. This animist framework posits that "falling" refers to spirits embedding themselves into the physical cosmos, such as rocks, rivers, and crystals, rather than a moral descent into sin.

The discussion compares Horsley’s views with those of scholar Jeffrey Kripal regarding "trauma genesis." While Kripal views the opening of the psyche through trauma as a path to a type of enlightenment or superhuman power, Horsley views it as a "horror show" of possession and dissociation. Horsley argues that these experiences are not spiritual but are instead "psychism," which he views as potentially malevolent or satanic.

Jason Horsley challenges Greg Carlwood regarding past guests on The Higher Side Chats, labeling individuals like Eric Davis, Diana Pasulka, and Jeffrey Kripal as "suspect" or complicit in disinformation. Horsley expresses concern over the mainstreaming of occultism and the "trauma genesis" theories advocated by Kripal at Rice University. Carlwood defends his platform as a space for counterculture inquiry while acknowledging the difficulty of vetting guests with deep occult backgrounds like Peter Lavenda.

Taggart discusses her work with the SORAT (Society for Research on Rapport and Telekinesis) archive, a seance group started by poet John Neihardt in Missouri that lasted 50 years. The archive contains massive amounts of spirit cinema, audio, and "entity letters." Taggart is currently restoring negatives from this collection, which was a primary inspiration for George Hansen’s book "The Trickster and the Paranormal." She compares her preservation efforts to Jeffrey Kripal’s "Archives of the Impossible" at Rice University, which houses discarded paranormal research.

Host Greg Carlwood introduces Dr. Jeffrey J. Kripal, the Associate Dean of the School of Humanities at Rice University and a leading scholar in the study of Gnosticism, esotericism, and mysticism. Kripal’s extensive bibliography is highlighted, including works like Secret Body and The Superhumanities, alongside his leadership roles at the Esalen Institute. The segment establishes Kripal as a "powerhouse guest" frequently cited by previous paranormal researchers on the program.

The show concludes with a brief look at the THC meetup calendar, highlighting upcoming events in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Sofia, Bulgaria. Greg Carlwood offers a final thank you to Dr. Jeffrey Kripal, calling him a "national treasure." The episode ends with the standard closing mantra and the show's theme music.

Gordon White awards his "gold medal" to "The Supernatural" by Dr. Jeffrey Kripal and Whitley Strieber. He argues that Kripal provides the most palatable academic exploration of the paranormal, while Strieber provides the essential first-hand experience. White also recommends Kripal's "Authors of the Impossible" for its historical overview of the field, including figures like Jacques Vallée.

The host selects Charles Fort’s "Book of the Damned" as his number one pick, noting that despite its age, it remains the most original and provocative work in the field. They discuss Jeffrey Kripal’s claim that Fort "invented postmodernism" by predicting the end of the scientific era. They also lament the decline of the "Fortean Times" magazine, which they feel has moved away from Fort’s original spirit of challenging the materialist context.

The representation of Gnosticism by conspiracy researchers like David Icke and John Lash is analyzed, with Miguel Conner praising their "paranoia" but questioning literal interpretations of reptilian entities. Drawing on the work of Whitley Strieber and Jeffrey Kripal, Conner suggests that "Archons" or "aliens" are images the human mind uses to process an "otherness" that is beyond comprehension. While Lash is criticized by some scholars for his translations, his work is credited with keeping Gnostic concepts moving forward in the public consciousness.