Micah Sifry | Civic Tech, Protest, and the Fight for Democracy

DMT as a hidden technology? Jeffrey Kripal & Andrew Gallimore join Daniel Pinchbeck to explore consciousness, aliens & the end of history. In this episode of the Liminal News, I sit down with two extraordinary thinkers: Jeffrey J. Kripal, historian of religions and author of "The Superhumanities" and "Secret Body," and Andrew Gallimore, neuroscientist and author of "Death By Astonishment", "Alien Information Theory" and "Reality Switch Technologies." We dive deep into the implications of DMT research, extended-state psychedelic experiments, and the possibility of human contact with non-human intelligences. We explore the “death by astonishment” experience, the limits of materialism, and the surprising parallels between ancient religious visions and cutting-edge psychedelic science. Could DMT be a kind of hidden “technology” that points humanity toward a higher-dimensional reality? Are we approaching a civilizational tipping point — an “end of history” moment? And what can science and the history of religions teach us about the true nature of consciousness?  📖 Guest Bios: Jeffrey J. Kripal is a professor of philosophy and religious thought at Rice University and the author of numerous books including "The Superhumanities," "Authors of the Impossible," and "Secret Body." His work examines the intersections of consciousness, altered states, mysticism, and the paranormal, challenging the limits of materialist science. https://jeffreyjkripal.com  Andrew Gallimore is a neurobiologist, chemist, and pharmacologist based in Japan. His research focuses on the DMT experience, extended-state psychedelic immersion, and the interface between neuroscience, mathematics, and higher-dimensional theories of reality. He is the author of "Alien Information Theory" and "Reality Switch Technologies."  https://buildingalienworlds.com ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #LiminalNews #DMT #JeffreyKripal #AndrewGallimore #Psychedelics #Consciousness #AlienInformationTheory #Superhumanities #SimulationTheory #EndOfHistory #DeathByAstonishment #Shamanism #Paranormal #Mysticism #terencemckenna

Are we truly in control of our minds — or are unseen forces at play? In this latest episode of Liminal News, I speak with Robert Falconer, author of "The Others Within Us", about trauma, spirit possession, and the porous nature of human consciousness. Falconer brings decades of psychotherapeutic experience and a deep understanding of Internal Family Systems (IFS) to a conversation that dives into the taboo: psychic parasites, entity attachments, and the darker dimensions of the human psyche. We explore how early trauma opens people to non-human influences, why psychedelics amplify both healing and danger, and how culture wars may reflect large-scale spiritual possession. 📚 About: Robert Falconer is a therapist, educator, and co-author of Many Minds, One Self (with Richard Schwartz, founder of IFS). His most recent work, The Others Within Us, explores the overlap of psychology and the paranormal, particularly in the context of healing from trauma. 🔗 Learn more: https://robertfalconer.us ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #RobertFalconer #IFS #SpiritPossession #LiminalNews #DanielPinchbeck #TraumaHealing #Psychedelics #EntityAttachment #PorousMind #Psychotherapy #Spirituality #CultureWars #Consciousness

In this episode of Liminal News, I speak with scholar Jeffrey J. Kripal about the suppressed dimensions of consciousness, paranormal experiences, UFOs, eroticism in mysticism, and the deep structure of human imagination. Kripal is one of the few voices from within the academy daring to think—and teach—the impossible. We explore how the humanities can (and must) evolve to account for precognition, near-death experiences, and altered states, and what it might mean to reconceive the human itself in light of the extraordinary. This is one of the deepest and most nuanced conversations we’ve had yet on the show. 🎓 About: Jeffrey J. Kripal is the J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religion and Associate Dean of the Humanities at Rice University. He is the author of several acclaimed books, including Authors of the Impossible, Secret Body, and his most recent, How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else. His work explores how extraordinary human experiences challenge our basic metaphysical and epistemological assumptions.  🌐 Learn more: https://jeffreyjkripal.com ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #JeffreyKripal #Paranormal #Superhumanities #LiminalNews #UFOs #Mysticism #Consciousness #ReligiousStudies #NewEpisode #ImaginationIsReal #danielpinchbeck #occult #philosophy

In this episode, I talk with Morgane Ciot and Alice Maynewaring — co-founders of The Classics Department — about their new immersive theater project, "PsychoMagic 9", which just sold out its debut run in New York. Inspired by Alejandro Jodorowsky’s cult classic "The Holy Mountain" and the spiritual tradition of psychomagic, their show blends performance, ritual, and audience participation in radically imaginative ways. We explore the lineage of avant-garde theater from Artaud to Grotowski, the resurgence of immersive experiences, and the challenges of creating transformational art in a time of social disconnection and political breakdown. We also touch on ketamine as a therapeutic and theatrical tool, the Enneagram as a narrative device, and how to awaken sovereignty through art. 🔗 https://classics-department.com ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #ImmersiveTheater #PsychoMagic #LiminalNews #Jodorowsky #LARP #Enneagram #AvantGardeTheater #RitualArt #NYCTheater #KetamineTherapy #danielpinchbeck

I sat down with former British diplomat turned anarchist thinker Carne Ross to explore the collapse of the rules-based global order and the rise of techno-authoritarianism in the US and beyond. Carne and I unpack the Trump phenomenon, Christian nationalism, Gaza, Israel, and the radical possibilities of democratic confederalism inspired by Murray Bookchin and practiced in Rojava. We explore historical parallels to Weimar Germany, the architecture of state surveillance, and why Carne believes anarchism is not only viable—but necessary. 💬 We also dive into Carne’s ongoing work advising the autonomous region of Rojava in northeastern Syria, his reflections on digital resistance, and what a realistic lifeboat strategy might look like for those concerned about the U.S.'s political future.  https://carneross.substack.com/ ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #LiminalNews #CarneRoss #Anarchism #Trump2024 #Authoritarianism #Rojava #IsraelGaza #SurveillanceState #Fascism #Bookchin #Ocalan #Collapse #Resistance #Palantir #SubstackVoices #danielpinchbeck #podcast

In this episode of Liminal News, I speak with political writer, civic tech pioneer, and longtime democracy advocate Micah Sifry about the creeping authoritarianism in the United States—and whether there's still time to reverse course. Micah and I talk about everything from grassroots resistance to digital surveillance, from the failures of liberal institutions to the underestimated power of local organizing. We also explore what’s happening beneath the radar—why the media isn’t telling the full story, and what real, distributed defiance might look like. Micah brings decades of hard-won insight to the table—from co-founding Personal Democracy Forum and Civic Hall to writing about third-party movements and campaign finance reform. I found this conversation both sobering and energizing, and I hope it sparks some sense of strategic urgency in you, too. 🧠 About: MIcah Sifry is a writer, speaker, and organizer focused on democratic innovation. He co-founded Civic Hall and the Personal Democracy Forum and authored Spoiling for a Fight: Third-Party Politics in America. He's spent years helping build digital tools and communities to support more participatory democracy.  https://micahsifry.com/ ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #MichelSifry #LiminalNews #CivicTech #DigitalDemocracy #GrassrootsOrganizing #SurveillanceState #DemocracyUnderThreat #Authoritarianism #DanielPinchbeck #PoliticalAwakening #ProgressivePolitics #Indivisible #Resistance #HopeAndAction

In this special episode of LIMINAL NEWS, I sit down with cultural theorist Douglas Rushkoff and author/flow-state expert Jamie Wheal for a wide-ranging conversation on the dark evolution of psychedelia, the rise of techno-fascism, and how we might reclaim our collective soul in an age of chaos. We dive into the uncomfortable truths about how sacred tools are being co-opted for power, wealth, and control. From ayahuasca at country clubs to crypto-funded authoritarianism, we explore how spirituality, capitalism, and politics have become dangerously entangled—and what can still be done to shift the tide. 👉 Follow Jamie Wheal on Substack: https://jamiewheal.substack.com/ 👉 Follow Douglas Rushkoff on Substack ("Team Human"): https://rushkoff.substack.com/ ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #LiminalNews #DanielPinchbeck #DouglasRushkoff #JamieWheal #PsychedelicRenaissance #TechnoAuthoritarianism #Ayahuasca #MAPS2025 #Collapse #FutureOfConsciousness #Hermeticism #NewMythos #AI #CryptoPolitics

🎧 What kind of future is AI creating—and what deeper forces are driving it? I sit down with journalist and trauma educator Matthew Green to explore the spiritual, psychological, and political implications of artificial intelligence. We dive into the darker undercurrents of the AI revolution—from mass surveillance and job loss to mythic archetypes and occult prophecy. Matthew has been a participant in several of my courses, and I’ve deeply appreciated his clarity and depth. Together, we explore questions that I believe are essential for our time. Here, we discuss: 🔹 How AI may destabilize society on a massive scale 🔹 Why authoritarianism and tech oligarchs are fusing into a new power structure 🔹 Rudolf Steiner’s prophecy of Ahriman and its uncanny parallels to today 🔹 The war on memory, cognition, and human agency 🔹 The rise of AI mysticism and synthetic religions 🔹 What kinds of practices and communities we need to respond  🔗 FOLLOW MATTHEW GREEN ON SUBSTACK https://substack.com/@matthewgreenglobal ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #ArtificialIntelligence #AIandConsciousness #SpiritualTechnology #Apocalypse #Ahriman #DanielPinchbeck #MatthewGreen #RudolfSteiner #LiminalNews #AIProphecy #TechnoMysticism #AIandAuthoritarianism #CollectiveTrauma #FutureofAI #Mysticism #AIandEthics #SyntheticReligion #AIcult #DigitalSpirituality #EsotericPodcast #BreakingTheAIBarrier #tech #bigtech #AI

Daniel Pinchbeck convenes a soul-searching dialogue with Grammy-winning artist Kimbra ‪@kimbramusic‬ (Vows, The Golden Echo) and author-futurist Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire, Recapture the Rapture). Together, they explore the possibilities for a new religious imagination grounded in mysticism, direct experience, and sacred community. Kimbra shares her early mystical encounters and evolving relationship with Christian mysticism, while Jamie unpacks how myth, Spiral Dynamics, and cultural architecture could birth a “Church of the Good, the Beautiful, and the True.” Together, they examine the paradox of post-Christian yearning: How do we reclaim the sacred while resisting both fundamentalist revivalism and New Age drift? From psychedelic mysticism to the rise of muscular techno-Christianity among Silicon Valley elites, this conversation pulls no punches. A deep dive into archetypes, esoteric traditions, collective ecstasy—and the future of soul in an age of collapse. ✨ Topics include: 🌌 Mysticism vs. organized religion 👩‍🎤 Feminine divinity, art & direct revelation 📜 Reclaiming Christ consciousness 🧠 Spiral Dynamics & developmental faith 🛐 Gnosticism, Hermeticism & sacred community 🧬 Psychedelics, music & aesthetic transmission 📉 The collapse of liberal Christianity 🔥 Can we ignite a new spiritual renaissance? ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #ChristConsciousness #Mysticism #JamieWheal #Kimbra #SpiritualAwakening #Esotericism #NewReligion #LiminalNews #DanielPinchbeck #PsychedelicChristianity #GreatAwakening #FutureOfFaith #SpiralDynamics #GnosticRevival #PostChristian #podcast  

In this urgent and far-reaching conversation, Daniel speaks with poet-philosopher and activist Drew Dellinger about the convergence of spiritual emergency, ecological collapse, and rising authoritarianism. A student of Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme, Dellinger critiques the troubling ideological drift of RFK Jr., Charles Eisenstein, and others in the New Age and eco-spiritual world. They explore: 🌌 The spiritual power of cosmology in an age of collapse ⚠️ The threat of Project 2025 & RFK Jr.’s alliance with Trump 🌀 Charles Eisenstein’s rhetorical collapse & rightward turn 🤖 The role of AI, technocracy & surveillance in the New Age 🚫 False equivalence, epistemological nihilism, and the loss of discernment 🗣️ The danger of demobilizing narratives dressed up as “balance” 🎤 The poet’s role in speaking truth to rising fascism 🕊️ A call for a united front for democracy, ecology, and justice 📝 The conversation ends with Drew’s fiery original poem: “To the Quislings” — a stirring indictment of complicity in an age of creeping authoritarianism.   📚 About: Drew Dellinger is a poet, professor, and founder of Planetize the Movement. Known for integrating cosmology, activism, and justice into a prophetic philosophical framework. 📘 Love Letter to the Milky Way 🌐 https://www.drewdellinger.org 🔗 https://www.planetizethemovement.org ================================== Please subscribe to the LIminal News Substack Newsletter! https://substack.com/@danielpinchbeck Please buy my books! https://tinyurl.com/mrsmtpwv Please join my online seminars and community at THE LIMINAL INSTITUTE: www.liminal.news Instagram:   @danielpinchbeck Official Website:  www.pinchbeck.io/ #danielpinchbeck  #liminalnews  #podcast