Podcast
Occult Confessions
Hosted by The Alchemical Actors · EN
Discover the secret history of cults, witches, magicians, conspiracies and the supernatural with occultism scholar Rob C. Thompson. His crew of Alchemical Actors explore life’s mysteries with a blend of research, ritual, and old-fashioned radio drama.
115episodes
Episodes
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30.3: The Pure Land (Part One)
3w ago00:51:36Tap to summarizePure Land Buddhism is the most popular religion in Japan and is often regarded as parallel to Christianity in many wyays. In this episode, we uncover the origins of the Pure Land Sutras in India and trace their journey to China where they grew into a set of rituals.
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30.2: Shingon or Japanese Esoteric Buddhism
May 100:55:30Tap to summarizeThe goal of estoteric Buddhism is to achieve a sudden spiritual awakening through the use of secret rituals which might include mantras, gestures, or the visualization of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and other deities, in the case of Shingon using one or both of a pair of powerful and elaborate mandalas. These techniques are passed down through a guru or teacher which is what gives them their esoteric or secret nature. Vajrayana focuses on transcending dualistic thinking and discovering the point of intersection between the core Buddhist values of wisdom and compassion.
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30.1: Shinto or Japan's Ancient Spirits
Apr 1701:01:38Tap to summarizeShinto is the name assigned to Japan's native religion before the arrival of Buddhism. In this episode, Rob explores the legends of the kami including the story of the kamikaze, the origins of sumo wrestling, and the purpose of Japan's many shrines.
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29.8: Murder for Resurrection
Apr 301:00:34Tap to summarizeWilliam Burke and William Hare murdered sixteen people in the space of about a year in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. Burke was thirty-six and Hare twenty-one-years old. Many of their victims were plied with alcohol until they passed out and then Hare lay on the body as Burke closed the mouth and nostrils in a fairly novel method of killing that came to be called “burking.” They then transported the corpses in a tea chest, sometimes in broad daylight, to Dr. Robert Knox.
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29.7: Annunaki Revelation (Interview Special)
Mar 2000:58:12Tap to summarizeHeather Lynn joins us to discuss the widely misunderstood ancient Sumerian gods, the Annunaki. The connections made between the Annunaki and aliens have perhaps distracted scholars from a far more plausible and surprising interpretation of their meaning and purpose.
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29.6: Blavatsky's Voice of the Silence
Mar 600:53:36Tap to summarizeA year after she completed the Secret Doctrine, Helena Blavatsky published the Voice of the Silence, one of the last to be completed in her lifetime. The Voice of the Silence relates portions of her understanding of esoteric Buddhism with a focus on the path of the bodhisattva. Follow us on this journey to discover the voice, encounter the two paths, and explore the seven portals.
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29.5: The Stranger Things Conformity Gate Conspiracy Theory (Strange Ride Crossover Episode)
Feb 2800:41:45Tap to summarizeStrange Ride is back and it's a Stranger Ride. Savannah reveals the conspiracy theory spawned by people who hated the ending to Stranger Things. Check out the Strange Ride channel for more deep dives on popular culture.
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29.4: The Pirate King of the Spirit Realms
Feb 2001:00:38Tap to summarizeRob is podcasting alone today in his attempt to tell the twisting and winding story of John King, the pirate spirit who led the materialization seances of the 1870s.
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29.3: Blavatsky Revisited
Feb 601:06:40Tap to summarizeRob and Savannah go back to the Secret Doctrine.
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29.2: From Rock Star to Occultist
Jan 2301:04:29Tap to summarizeGary Lachman, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with Blondie, discusses how he went from rock and roll to Colin Wilson's house on a journey to better understand the nature of consciousness. You can also find out more in Lachman's newest book, Touched by the Presence.
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