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On the show
Recent episodes
Episode 58: UFOlogy and ETs with Levi
Jan 31, 2026
55m 22s
Episode 57: Cults vs The Occult
Oct 3, 2025
1h 24m 51s
Episode 56: Hypnosis
Aug 30, 2025
54m 31s
Episode 55: Science of Prayer Pt 2
May 28, 2025
48m 34s
Episode 54: New Years Magic and Updates!
Mar 16, 2025
35m 14s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/31/26 |  Episode 58: UFOlogy and ETs with Levi | Try to keep your feet on the ground as we dive into UFOs, extraterrestrials, and all things paranormal! From primordial soup exobiology and ancient myths reimagined as alien encounters to Buddhist world-systems and Crowley's cosmic pen pals, we're exploring how spirituality and UFO lore shift through time. We'll explore the paraUFOlogy debate, why some spirits absolutely aren't aliens (looking at you, Enochian angels), and how New Age UFO culture gave rise to starseeds, downloads, and a whole galaxy of grifters. Strap in and let us know if you believe in aliens by the end! Follow Levi on IG: @Saint.Vid Episode resources: Vital Dust: The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth by Christian de Duve (on the primordial soup hypothesis among other things) The Super Natural: A New Vision of the Unexplained Hardcover by Whitley Streiver and Jeffrey J. KripalNewkirk Museum of the ParanormalHaunted Objects podcastHellierThe Mothman Prophecies by John KeelThey Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers by Gray Barker | 55m 22s | ||||||
| 10/3/25 |  Episode 57: Cults vs The Occult | Don’t drink the Kool-Aid just yet, we’ve got a new episode for you! This week we are diving into the world of cults. What defines them, how they intersect with the occult, and why high-control groups can be so hard to spot, especially on social media. From mystery cults of the ancient world to modern movements like Scientology, Jonestown, NXIVM, we unpack the psychology, power structures, and tactics that keep people hooked. Strap in as we talk about charismatic leaders, doomsday prophecies, brainwashing myths, and the BITE model. Episode Resources: Let’s Talk About Sects Podcast has many discussions around cults and high-control groups! Dr. Alexandra Stein - An authority on cults and totalitarianism, her work is crucial in this field! We really recommend her book “Terror, Love, and Brainwashing: Attachment in Cults and Totalitarian Systems.” “Teaching New Religious Movements” by David Bromley (the chapter on Moral Panics is especially relevant to this episode) Misunderstanding Cults: Searching for Objectivity in a Controversial Field by Benjamin Zablocki and Thomas Robbins: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3138/9781442677302 Pseudoscience versus Minority Religions; An Evaluation of the Brainwashing Theories of Jean-Marie Abgrall: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4419-9094-5_9 The Cult of ISIS by Florence Gaub: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292675728_The_Cult_of_ISIS Combating the Cult of ISIS: A Social Approach to Countering Violent Extremism by Joel Day and Scott Kleinmann (available on Google) When corrections fail: The persistence of political misperceptions: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2010-08932-007 The Backfire Effect: https://daily.jstor.org/the-backfire-effect/ | 1h 24m 51s | ||||||
| 8/30/25 |  Episode 56: Hypnosis | You are getting very sleepy…listen to our voices… Hopefully you haven’t fallen into a trance-induced hypnosis just yet as there is a new episode to listen to! This contentious episode explores both the history of hypnosis and its more modern understanding. There’s a surprising amount of science behind this favored Victorian party trick that also has roots in spiritual practices. Strap in as we discuss magnets, mesmerism, MRIs, and…The Pope? Episode Resources: What is hypnosis and how might it work: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6357291/ James Braid: https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2022/01/james-braid-the-father-of-modern-hypnosis/, How does this all work: Hypnotic induction decreases anterior default mode activity: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19782614/ The neurophenomenology of neutral hypnosis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22579225/ Functional Brain Basis of Hypnotizability: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4365296/ Hypnosis for the management of chronic and cancer procedure-related pain in children: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22917107/ Hypnosis and clinical pain: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12848218/ Review of the efficacy of clinical hypnosis with headaches and migraines: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17365074/ Efficacy, tolerability, and safety of hypnosis in adult irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24901382/ Use of Hypnosis Today: Where the imaginal appears real: a positron emission tomography study of auditory hallucinations: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9465124/ Hypnotic visual illusion alters color processing in the brain: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10910791/ The brain under self-control: modulation of inhibitory and monitoring cortical networks during hypnotic paralysis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19555654/ Mesmerizing memories: brain substrates of episodic memory suppression in posthypnotic amnesia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18184572/ Hypnotic illusions and clinical delusions: hypnosis as a research method: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19866383/ | 54m 31s | ||||||
| 5/28/25 |  Episode 55: Science of Prayer Pt 2 | Welcome back to part 2 of our 'Science of Prayer' series! Back in April we discussed prayer with Aiden the VVitch, with a focus on the use of prayer in a variety of spiritual and occult settings. In this episode, the hosts tackle the science behind prayer, investigating the mechanisms behind how prayer affects our brains as well as the controversial fields of faith healing and whether prayer can benefit our health. BIBLIOGRAPHY Lancet Review of religion, spirituality, and medicine which touches (heh) on faith healing: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(98)07376-0/fulltext Intercessory prayer for...COVID?! https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(23)09619-6 Some small benefits to health observed from a prayer practice: https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.58.1.36 What happens to our brain during prayer? A review: DOI: 10.1097/HRP.0000000000000232 Neural mechanisms of pain modulation during prayer - the 'Mr Hansen' study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5487465/ fMRI during Quran recitations: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-023-15588-3 How valid is neuroimaging during prayer, anyway? https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039124 The wild 'sutra is stored in the frontal lobe' story https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13554790903559689 | 48m 34s | ||||||
| 3/16/25 |  Episode 54: New Years Magic and Updates! | Hello from Hanne, Fel and Astra! It's been quite the year and we're excited to get back into it. In this episode we discuss some personal, practice and podcast updates as well as talk about what we're doing to start this year off magically. The next episodes after this one will be some back recordings. So excited to be back!! | 35m 14s | ||||||
| 2/10/24 |  Episode 53: Epigenetics! | It's a science-heavy one this week, everyone! This week the hosts discuss the intriguing world of epigenetics, where nature and nurture collide. Can you change your DNA? What effect does the world have on our genetics, and on us as people? Does this have any spiritual consequences, as some people claim? Tune in this week to hear about the science behind epigenetics and our thoughts on how this somewhat contentious field has been appropriated by the spiritual world. RESOURCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY A great beginner page for genetics https://www.yourgenome.org/A deep dive into the history of DNA structure and function https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/discovery-of-dna-structure-and-function-watson-397/The classic 'smoking grannies' epigenetic study https://www.nature.com/articles/s41431-022-01081-2 && https://clinicalepigeneticsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13148-019-0631-3The Dutch Hunger Winter https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2579375/Trauma and heritability https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6952751/Review article summarising how epigenetics can unify Lamarckian and Darwinian principles https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/7/5/1296/605886 | 45m 59s | ||||||
| 1/14/24 |  Episode 52: The Magnanimous Life of Dr. John Dee | We are back with a long-awaited episode of our Occultists & Scientists series focusing on the life of John Dee and his scryer Edward Kelley. A renaissance man in every right, Dee was a physician, engineer, theologian, astronomer, cartographer, and magician - working with the angels to develop a unique system of angelic magic now described as Enochian. But this tale of the great magician has dark secrets…imprisoned for performing astrology, rumours of being a spy, hooking up with others wives, oh my! Perhaps like most magicians of his time, piousness was just a rumour. Join us as we soar to the skies and explore the magnanimous life of Dr. John Dee. REFERENCES: The Scientific Spirit in England in Early Modern Times (c. 1600): https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/225631 The Magic and Astrology of John Dee: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1057/9781137399472_8.pdf John Dee and the sciences: early modern networks of knowledge: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3778877/pdf/main.pdf The Mathematicall Praeface to Elements of Geometric of Euclid of Megara by John Dee: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/22062/22062-h/22062-h.htm At the crossroads of magic and science: John Dee’s Archemastrie: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/occult-scientific-mentalities/at-the-crossroads-of-magic-and-science-john-dees-archemastrie/9D21A2FB0A2E33D9F4D2C0F85A7787E4 BOOKS: The Queen’s Conjuror: The life and magic of Dr. Dee by B. Woolley Enochian Vision Magic by Lon Milo Duquette The Essential Enochian Grimoire by Aaron Leitch | 54m 52s | ||||||
| 4/1/23 |  Episode 51: Prayer with Aiden the VVitch | This week, TTAC are delighted to be joined by a special guest: Aiden aka @AidenTheVVitch In this episode, the hosts discuss all things prayer. How is prayer typically applied across different occult practices? Do you need to pray to be an occultist? Why are so many people ‘afraid’ of prayer? Is there any scientific evidence for prayer as a health intervention? And what’s the difference between prayer & spells, anyway? We hope you enjoyed this special guest episode of TTAC - let us know if you’d like to hear more from Aiden in the future! REFERENCES: Reviews of prayer as a health intervention - the good, the bad, and the (mostly) ugly: 1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10836918/ 2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12776468/ 3. The efficacy of "distant healing": a systematic review of randomized trials - PubMed4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11761499/ 5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16569567/ 6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802370/ | 57m 12s | ||||||
| 3/12/23 |  Episode 50: Incense Oils and Perfumes | In this episode, the hosts dive into the science of smell & the odiferous side of the occult Why is incense such a popular offering? Does an oil's odour reflect its properties? And what on earth does a saint smell like?! This episode features four case studies across different traditions to explore the seemingly-ubiquitous - but surprisingly diverse - role of fragrance in the occult. You can also expect to hear about science of smell & how odour can interplay with cognition.smell ya later xREFERENCES- Brief summary: the science of smell! // Sell, C. S. (2006). On the unpredictability of odor. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 45(38), 6254-6261.- Amazing book on the chemistry behind perfumery // Pybus, D. H., & Sell, C. S. (Eds.). (1999). The chemistry of fragrances (Vol. 17). Royal Society of Chemistry.- Olfaction and memory - how odour interplays with PTSD & emotion // Vermetten, E., & Bremner, J. D. (2003). Olfaction as a traumatic reminder in posttraumatic stress disorder: case reports and review. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 64(2), 202-207. && Zald, D. H., & Pardo, J. V. (1997). && Emotion, olfaction, and the human amygdala: amygdala activation during aversive olfactory stimulation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 94(8), 4119-4124.- Tapputi, one of the world's first chemists (and perfume makers)! // https://arkeonews.net/the-3200-year-old-perfume-of-tapputi-the-first-female-perfumer-in-history-came-to-life-again/ - Odour in antiquity // https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/bitstream/handle/10871/17556/GrantG.pdf- The role of scents in traditional Chinese religion // Habkirk, S., & Chang, H. (2017). Scents, community, and incense in traditional Chinese religion. Material Religion, 13(2), 156-174.- Osmogenesia & sensing the saints Saucier, C. (2010). // The sweet sound of sanctity: sensing St Lambert. The Senses and Society, 5(1), 10-27. && Harvey, S. A. (1998). St Ephrem on the scent of salvation. The journal of theological studies, 49(1), 109-128.- Amusing paper on 'oilers' with a lot in there about MLMs // Kieffer, K. G. (2021). Smelling Things: Essential Oils and Essentialism in Contemporary American Spirituality. Religion and American Culture, 31(3), 297-331. | 55m 46s | ||||||
| 2/4/23 |  Episode 49: Conspiracy Theories & Magical Thinking | This week the hosts dive into the intersection between conspiracy theories and the occult, all the way from the wacky to the outright terrifying. This episode explores the basis of the psychological concept ‘magical thinking’ and how it relates to spirituality, as well as how this mode of thinking might help or hinder one’s practice. It also features a discussion on why conspiracy theories are unfortunately so prevalent in the occult world, how to spot them, and the potential dangers they pose if left unchallenged. REFERENCES: - Some degree of magical thinking is normal: Peters, E. R., Joseph, S. A., & Garety, P. A. (1999). Measurement of delusional ideation in the normal population: introducing the PDI (Peters et al. Delusions Inventory). Schizophrenia bulletin, 25(3), 553-576 - Stress might pre-dispose us to magical thinking: Keinan, G. (2002). The effects of stress and desire for control on superstitious behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28(1), 102-108. && Keinan, G. (1994). Effects of stress and tolerance of ambiguity on magical thinking. Journal of personality and social psychology, 67(1), 48. - The ‘dual model’ hypothesis of magical thinking & superstition - system 1 vs system 2: Risen, J. L. (2016). Believing what we do not believe: Acquiescence to superstitious beliefs and other powerful intuitions. Psychological review, 123(2), 182. - The basics – LSU’s guide to conspiracy theories: https://faculty.lsu.edu/fakenews/about/rumors.php - Historical connections between conspiracy and esotericism: Asprem, E., & Dyrendal, A. (2018). Close companions? Esotericism and conspiracy theories. In Handbook of conspiracy theory and contemporary religion (pp. 207-233). Brill. - You might also want to check out our earlier episode on bias! | 54m 16s | ||||||
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| 1/15/23 |  Episode 48: Sustainability in Practice | In this episode, the hosts explore the crossover between spirituality and sustainability. What does it mean to build an environmentally sustainable spiritual practice? How have environmentalism and spirituality historically crossed paths? And why DO people keep burying jars, anyway? Join us this week for a topic very close to our hearts. Thanks to Kelsey from our Discord (https://discord.gg/kJthJyxTBc) for suggesting this episode. REFERENCES: Environmental challenges associated with vegan diets https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jun/23/the-environmental-dangers-of-veganism && https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200211-why-the-vegan-diet-is-not-always-green Interactions and collaborations between environmenal scientists & local spiritual practice - https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1890/1540-9295%282007%295%5B332%3AEOTFC%5D2.0.CO%3B2 && https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/195631648.pdf- Monkey conservation in Fiema & Boabeng supported by local spiritual practice - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08873630709478212?journalCode=rjcg20 https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/195631648.pdf Religion's proposed relation to 'earth stewardship - https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1890/120322 && https://www.academia.edu/7961945/Environmental_Stewardship_Critical_Perspectives_Past_and_Present_Edited_by_Robert_James_Berry WITCHBODIES podcast https://www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/29535/ You can keep up-to-date (ish) with our podcast on (Instagram)[https://www.instagram.com/testtubesandcauldrons/]. | 57m 32s | ||||||
| 12/19/22 | Episode 47: Research in Practice | We're baaaack! Please enjoy as Hanne, Astra and Fel expand and dive deep on research practices and how to incorporate what you've researched into practicality. And again, thank you all so much for your continued support.Check out our discord!: https://discord.gg/NfefwYePyPNotes:Owen Davies Grimoires: A History of MagickMagic in Medieval Manuscripts by Sophie Page and Esoteric ArchivesGrimoire archive: http://english.grimoar.cz/?Loc=aut&Lng=2&New=374Explaining p-values: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00031305.2019.1583913 | 50m 52s | ||||||
| 8/20/22 | Episode 46: Spirituality and Mental Health | In this episode, the three hosts (Astra, Han and Fel) discuss personal experiences with as well as research surrounding spirituality and Mental Health, positive impacts, negative impacts and how the community discusses (or avoids discussing) it. Reminder: None of the hosts are mental health professionals, all advice is not a replacement for medical treatment.BIBLIOGRAPHY/RESOURCES:Nap MinistryThe role of religion and spirituality in mental healthMental Health, Religion, and SpiritualityAdvances in the conceptualization and measurement of religion and spirituality: Implications for physical and mental health research.Unusual but sound minds: Mental health indicators in spiritual individuals Steps for Working With DelusionsNature and mental healthMental health benefits of nature-based recreation: a systematic reviewDistribution of vitamin D status in the UK: a cross-sectional analysis of UK BiobankUS Based Hotlines: https://www.pleaselive.org/hotlines/UK Based Hotlines: https://www.therapyroute.com/article/suicide-hotlines-and-crisis-lines-in-the-united-kingdom | 58m 14s | ||||||
| 7/24/22 | Episode 45: Trees! | It's another Fel and Han special today, with the hosts discussing a subject very dear to our collective hearts: Trees! In this episode, the hosts discuss how seemingly universal tree-lore is and why so many themes might be shared across cultures. We also explore the science behind how trees 'talk' to one another and how this fascinating phenomenon might translate to a spiritual context. Finally, prepare yourself for chaos as we test the definition of hedge witchcraft to its limit. hope you enjoyed us branching out this episode.For this episode, we drew heavily upon the books Finding The Mother Tree by Suzanne Simard and The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben for our research. | 45m 02s | ||||||
| 6/12/22 | Episode 44: Near Death Experiences & Other Liminalities | TW: discussion of drug use in this episodeIn Part 2 of the Afterlives and Past Lives series, the hosts Astra, Hanne and Fel explore the mystifying and perhaps mystical world of near-death experiences. Tune in to hear our scientific deconstruction of what a near-death experience actually is, how they correspond to spiritual traditions across the globe, and how some of our personal experiences have shaped our attitudes towards death and the afterlife. BIBLIOGRAPHY/RESOURCES: -Tibetan Book Of The Dead - Near-death experiences might change your attitude to life: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022167819892107 - ...or you might even experience hallucinations after the fact: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0022167804266281?journalCode=jhpa- The Greyson NDE scale, and how near-death experiences remain consistent over time: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6854303/ && https://www.resuscitationjournal.com/article/S0300-9572(06)00669-1/fulltext - What goes on in the brain during death? An EEG offers clues: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.813531/full - Review of potential mechanisms for NDEs:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-019-0983-2 - A staggering 12% of cardiac patients in this study experienced NDEs: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0140673601071008 - 'Real vs imagined' memories https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23544039/ && https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2017.03.003 - Meditation-induced NDEs: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-018-0922-3 - NDEs can occur independently of death: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00490/full - Review of NDEs and their characteristics, with some great case studies https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.12582 | 51m 51s | ||||||
| 5/29/22 | Episode 43: Asklepios and Healing Magic in Ancient Greece | It's a Fel and Han takeover! This week, two of the hosts get together to discuss a synthesis of mysticism and medicine in the ancient world: the Cult of Asklepios. Tune in to hear about who Asklepios really was: the ascent of a revered medic to god-hero, his relationship to Paian Apollo, and his influence on the development of modern medicine via a cult that dominated the ancient world for centuries. Resources: • A timeline of Asklepios: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-124-2-199601150-00011 • Medical historians the Edelsteins discuss the historical evidence for the worship of Asklepios: Kirchner J, ed. Inscriptiones Graecae. In: Edelstein EJ, Edelstein L. Asclepius: A Collection and Interpretation of the Testimonies. Baltimore: John Hopkins Pr; 1945:374-5. • Asklepios in Rome: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25609491 • John Scarborough dissects Theophrastus’ Enquiry Into Plants with a modern lens: https://philpapers.org/rec/SCATOH-2 • The Hippocratic ideal: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4263393/ • The evolution of medicine in the ancient world – how rationalism developed: https://aacnjournals.org/ajcconline/article/23/6/437/3976/From-Asclepius-to-Hippocrates-The-Art-and-Science • Hippocrates, the “father of molecular medicine”: https://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/23/4/507.long • Hans Dieter Betz, The Greek Magical Papyri In Translation (ISBN: 9780226044477) • Lindsay Watson, Magic In Ancient Greece and Rome (ISBN: 9781788312981) • Did it actually work? Placebo effects in the Asklepian sanctuaries: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/tc-2021-0004/html?lang=en• Frederic Grant, Hellenistic Religions• Luther H. Martin, Hellenistic ReligionsYou can still follow us on Instagram @testtubesandcauldrons, or join discussions on our Discord (https://discord.gg/rfJ4eb2DAM) 👾 | 49m 49s | ||||||
| 4/12/22 | Episode 42: Afterlives & Past Lives (Part 1) | We’re delving into worlds unseen this episode, as we explore the various spiritual models of the afterlife, as well as how these models play a role in spiritual practice across the world. We also delve into the sticky world of ‘past life regressions’ and how much we can rely on testimonies like these.In part 2 (coming in 2 weeks!), join us for some more scientifically styled discussion on near-death experiences. RESOURCES:‘The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven’ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/04/11/the-boy-who-came-back-from-heaven-now-wants-his-day-in-court/Decidedly dodgy studies discussing hypnosis to induce ‘past life regressions’: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07481187.2019.1626949 && https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00029157.1999.10404243What criticisms have been made of hypnosis? https://bfms.org.uk/memory-and-hypnosis/Thanks for bearing with us as we switch schedules from weekly to fortnightly releases! You can still follow us on Instagram @testtubesandcauldrons, or join discussions on our Discord (https://discord.gg/rfJ4eb2DAM) 👾 | 55m 22s | ||||||
| 3/26/22 | Episode 41: Creatures & Cryptids | This week, Fel and Han drag Astra along for a riotous exploration of creatures, cryptids, and folklore. Is there any truth to these most mysterious of beasts? What kind of historical or scientific explanations might we have for cryptids? Is Bigfoot real?! Tune into this episode for our thoughts. RESOURCES Pliny’s Natural History: https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plin.+Nat.+toc (A specific link to his dodgy explanation of other peoples can be found here mentions Blemmyae: https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0137:book=5:chapter=8&highlight=)Visualising the biomass on Earth: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/all-the-biomass-of-earth-in-one-graphic/Mythical’ creatures sometimes turn out to be real: https://australian.museum/learn/first-nations/yamuti of mammal species may be undiscovered https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5901171/ Controversial study estimating the number of species on Earth https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127Which cryptid are you? https://uquiz.com/quiz/X0fZIl/which-cryptid-are-youLINKSFollow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testtubesandcauldrons/) & join discussions on our Discord (https://discord.gg/rfJ4eb2DAM)! | 51m 30s | ||||||
| 3/21/22 | Episode 40: Superstitions, Folklore and Myth | In this episode, the hosts (Hanne, Fel and Astra) take a step out of the hard sciences and into linguistics, sociology and psychology—pulling examples from history, personal experience and studies to try and find the differences (if there are any) between the three and why they might develop in the way they do.RESOURCES:The Story of Myth by Sarah Iles JohnstonWhat They Say in New England by Clifton JohnsonThe 'good luck' snack that makes Taiwan's technology behave, BBC: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210414-the-good-luck-snack-that-makes-taiwans-technology-behaveThe Case Against B.F. Skinner by Noam Chomsky: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1971/12/30/the-case-against-bf-skinner/Ancient Origins of Modern Superstition, British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/membership/events/ancient-origins-modern-superstitionHalf-belief and the paradox of ritual instrumental activism: a theory of modern superstition by Colin Campbell: https://www.jstor.org/stable/591121The Science of Superstition and Why People Believe in the Unbelieveable: https://theconversation.com/amp/the-science-of-superstition-and-why-people-believe-in-the-unbelievable-97043MORE FROM TTAC:Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testtubesandcauldrons/) & join discussions on our Discord (https://discord.gg/rfJ4eb2DAM)! | 53m 49s | ||||||
| 3/2/22 | Episode 39: Colo(u)rs | Alongside a few spats over the appropriate spelling of colour (it does have a u), in this episode the hosts discuss all things bright and beautiful. We chat colour physics, biology, and how our cultural understanding of colours may be less solid than you think! We also examine how this interplays with occult ideas of ‘colour correspondences’ - Jung’s internal alchemy, The Golden Dawn, Feng Shui, and Kabbalah to name a few. RESOURCES:The human eye can ‘see’ infra-red: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141201161116.htmAncient Greek statues - their true colours: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/true-colors-17888/ & https://buntegoetter.liebieghaus.de/en/The Black Arts, Richard Cavendish (alchemy primer)Colours of The Golden Dawn & Kabbalah: https://www.daneel.franken.de/tarot/GoldenDawn/Coloring%20the%20Classic%20Golden%20Dawn%20Tarot.pdf & http://www.lelandra.com/tarotbook/TreeofLifeColors.htm & http://www.billheidrick.com/tlc1995/tlc1295.htm#iqPolyphanes’ wonderful post on the planetary colours: https://digitalambler.com/2019/12/04/colors-of-the-planets/ | 51m 50s | ||||||
| 2/23/22 |  Episode 38: The Cult of the Moon | It is no secret that witches across the world are fascinated with the moon both from pagan and witchy literature to its importance in ancient civilizations as the luminary that rules the popular monthly cycle. Join us for this weeks episode where we investigate the moons evolution from ancient society to modern times and discuss the science of the moons gravitational pull and how it controls the waters of earth among many, many other topics!*NOTE: We spoke on a wide range of belief systems, some of which we are unfamiliar with ourselves, so if we said something wrong, please correct us and we'll make a note in episode descriptions! RESOURCES:Review of the Study of the Moon and Lunacy: https://cdn.centerforinquiry.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/1986/01/22165335/p35.pdf?_ga=2.80741470.812012145.1645618604-743710252.1644883191Overview | Inside and Out of the Moon from NASA: https://moon.nasa.gov/inside-and-out/overview/MORE FROM TTAC:Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testtubesandcauldrons/) & join discussions on our Discord (https://discord.gg/rfJ4eb2DAM)! | 55m 03s | ||||||
| 2/15/22 |  Episode 37: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart...I Mean Brain Makes | In this episode, the hosts discuss the weird and wacky world of dreams. What kind of spiritual significance was historically assigned to dreams? How does one practice the mysterious art of oneiromancy? How does sleep work on a neurological level, and what even is a dream? Tune in to hear the hosts' thoughts, and strap in for our increasingly unhinged ramblings on the nature of consciousness. Goodnight, listeners!Happy Black History Month! Celebrate the underrated ingenuity of Black inventors with this book on African-American inventions: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0275966747?ie=UTF&tag=todayinsci-20&link_code=as3RESOURCES:Aelfwine's Prayerbook (bibliomancy/oneiromancy) - https://boydellandbrewer.com/9781870252331/aelfwines-prayerbook/'Serial awakening' experiments to understand sleep phases -https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00542/fullMRI investigating neurophysiology of sleep - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00221-008-1579-2EEGs investigating neurophysiology of sleep - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5462120/Great review article on the neurophysiology of sleep and dreaming - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2814941/ | 54m 05s | ||||||
| 2/7/22 |  Episode 36: You Asked and We Answered! (Q&A) | We're back! In this episode, the hosts answer your questions. We discuss telepathy, how we met, stigma against occultism in the workplace, the intersection between science & spirituality in our practice, sins against cereal, and more...BOOKS WE RECOMMENDED:Entangled Life - Merlin SheldrakeBad Science and Bad Pharma - Ben GoldacreThe Hidden Life of Trees: Discoveries from a Secret World - Peter WohllebenThe Disappearing Spoon - Sam KeanE=mc^2: A Biography of the World’s Most Famous Equation - David BodanisImmune: A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive - Phillip DetmerNapoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History - Jay Burreson and Penny Le CouteurThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca SklootRESOURCES:fMRI study of a mentalist (in an extremely obscure journal...) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3144613/MORE FROM TTAC:Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testtubesandcauldrons/) & join discussions on our Discord (https://discord.gg/rfJ4eb2DAM)! | 53m 33s | ||||||
| 12/24/21 | Episode 35: The Practical Magick of Cycles with Olivia, the Witch of Wonderlust | A very happy Solstice to you all! In this episode, the hosts (Astra, Fel and Hanne) were joined by the wonderful Olivia (a.k.a. @thewitchofwonderlust) to discuss the role of cycles in spiritual practice. Which ones are useful, and which ones might be a little outdated? How do we adapt to cycles in a changing world? Tune in to hear us discuss a whole plethora of topics including calendars, climate change, lunar cycles, planetary magic, death cycles, mythology, alchemy...and (gasp!) even a little biochemistry...See more of Olivia here:instagram: @thewitchofwonderlust youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thewitchofwonderlust twitter: https://twitter.com/wonderlustwitch | 53m 44s | ||||||
| 12/18/21 |  Episode 34: The Mystery of Auras | In this episode, the hosts explore the topic of auras. Do they hail from an ancient spiritual tradition, or is the truth somewhat more…colourful? Do we have an existing explanation for why some people see auras? How does aura photography work? And how might we use & apply these ideas within an spiritual practice? Tune in this week to hear us discuss these topics and more.RESOURCES:Milán, E. G., Iborra, O., Hochel, M., et al. (2012). Auras in mysticism and synaesthesia: A comparison. Consciousness and Cognition, 21(1), 258-268.Albrecht, D. S., Mainero, C., Ichijo, et al. (2019). Imaging of neuroinflammation in migraine with aura: A [11C] PBR28 PET/MRI study. Neurology, 92(17), e2038-e2050.Hadjikhani, N., Albrecht, D. S., Mainero, C., et al (2020). Extra‐axial inflammatory signal in parameninges in migraine with visual aura. Annals of neurology, 87(6), 939-949.Kilic, K., Karatas, H., Dönmez‐Demir, B., et al(2018). Inadequate brain glycogen or sleep increases spreading depression susceptibility. Annals of neurology, 83(1), 61-73.Jordan, N., & Trimble, T. (2008). Is the use of auras and chakras in new age practices related to synaesthetic experience. The Irish Psychologiest, (November), 75-80Mills, A. (2009).Kirlian photography. History of Photography, 33(3), 278-287.Join the discussion on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/kJthJyxTBc | 49m 01s | ||||||
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