Rejected Religion Podcast

This is Part One/ Free Content of Episode 46. The full version of this interview is available for YouTube members and Patreon members; alternately, it can be purchased for a one-time fee at my Patreon page (see Shop link). 

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My guest this month is Gregg Harmston. Gregg is an independent researcher, writer and music producer from the UK who focuses on esotericism and occultism alongside media and literature theory, cyberculture, fictioning, and non-standard philosophy. He graduated an MA in Spirituality and Religion from University of Amsterdam in 2025 and is currently working on expanding his thesis research into a PhD project. In this episode, Gregg peels back the layers of the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit, or CCRU, a group that stands as one of the most unique and enigmatic forms of modern occultism. 

Using a "matryoshka doll" methodology, we look briefly at the core members of the group, and then explore the CCRU as a collective myth and an independent entity. We’ll trace their origins from the intellectual split between Sadie Plant’s cyberfeminism and Nick Land’s "dark" inhumanism, fueled by the rhythmic, non-linear influences of the 1990s jungle dance scene. We discuss "Time Sorcery," the Numogram, and the mechanics of hyperstition—the process by which fictions "make themselves real" through cybernetic feedback loops to reshape our present reality. 

To explain this concept a bit further, the core of Gregg’s thesis focuses on "Hyperstition as the idea of fictions that make themselves real by functioning as "time-circuits" or self-fulfilling prophecies. Gregg illustrates how the CCRU’s use of "theory-fiction" was not merely a literary style, but a deliberate "writing magic" designed to bypass rational thought and manifest "inhuman" entities or future outcomes into the present. Ultimately, the work positions the CCRU as a unique bridge between 20th-century esoteric practices (like Chaos Magic) and the digital-age occultism of the 21st century, suggesting that the group’s influence persists today as a collective entity or "egregore" that continues to shape contemporary culture and philosophy. 

For Patreon and YouTube members, we dive even deeper into the controversial legacy of Nick Land in Part 2, re-evaluating him not just as a philosopher, but as an experimental occultist who used extreme methods to achieve ego-dissolution. We also tackle the complex evolution of accelerationism, tracing the pipeline from CCRU-era theories to the intellectual foundations of the Alt-Right and the modern phenomenon of "Meme Magic." However, we also explore the alternative, hopeful sides of these "weird" tools—examining Left-Accelerationism, and Mark Fisher’s "Acid Communism" to see how these theories can be used to reclaim lost futures and foster collective hope. 

PROGRAM NOTES

Gregg Harmston - University of Amsterdam

Instagram

Ccru: Writings 1997-2003

Cybernetic Culture Research Unit - Monoskop

Rowan Elizabeth Cabrales - University of Amsterdam

RR Podcast E4 P1 Rowan E. Cabrales: Hyperstition - Fictions Becoming Real?
RR Podcast E4 P2 Rowan E. Cabrales: Hyperstition - Fictions Becoming Real?

Aesthetaphysicks and the Anti-Dialectical Hyperoccultation of Disenchanted Representation: Hyperstitional Esoterrorism as Occultural Accelerationism 

The Hyperstitional Philosophy of Time-Travel Cybernetics: Theosophy, the CCRU, and Black-Box Poiesis

RR Pod E28 P1 Bob Cluness - An Esoteric Menagerie...
RR Pod E28 P2 Bob Cluness - An Esoteric Menagerie...

Theme Music and Editing: Daniel P. Shea

Research and End Production: Stephanie Shea

This is the Free Content version of my interview with Drs. Sarah & Bastiaan van Rijn. To listen to the full interview, you can either purchase it for a one-time fee, or become a Patreon member.

Sarah van Rijn (née Perez) is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bern. She currently works on a project that analyses similarities and differences in ethical motivation, knowledge production, and activist practice of animal rights activists and persons identifying with the eco-spiritual milieu. She previously worked on early modern pamphlets as well as youth- and online spirituality. The latter topic was also the reason why Sarah and her husband Bastiaan have published on the phenomenon of Reality Shifting.

Bastiaan van Rijn is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. His current project focuses on the connections between spiritual tourism and alternative history. Before that, he wrote on the various ways in which Western individuals have tried to scientifically prove life after death since the late eighteenth century. His book, Afterlife Research, appears later this year.

Sarah and Bas have both been previous guests on the platform, Sarah in a roundtable discussion with Dr. Cavan McLaughin on her research into Reality Shifting, and Bas in E 43 about Mesmerism and Afterlife Research. They’ve joined me this time together to discuss their joint article, “Understanding Reality Shifting as a New Online-based Spiritual Practice.”

In Part One of this episode, we’re exploring the fascinating world of Reality Shifting—a practice where individuals use ‘scripting’ and intention to move their consciousness to a Desired Reality. But this isn't just about internet subcultures; it’s also an examination and critique of our current reality and how we view what is Real vs what is Fiction. We discuss how Shifting acts, not as escapism, but as a form of serious play, where personal narratives create new facts in an era of 'fake news' and 'deep fakes'.

PROGRAM NOTES:

Understanding Reality Shifting as a New Online-based Spiritual Practice
Intentional Transformative Experiences...

IDENTITY AND BELIEF An Analysis of the Otherkin Subculture

Theme Music and Editing: Daniel P. Shea

End Production: Stephanie Shea

* This is an audio-only version of my interview with Rufus Harrington, trustee of The Doreen Valiente Foundation. 

I am so excited to share this special conversation with Rufus Harrington about the legendary Doreen Valiente!
As a thank you for your incredible support, this interview is being released as a free bonus episode for both my dedicated Patreon members as well as my YouTube community. Happy Yule!

In this insightful conversation, I sat down with Rufus Harrington, a psychologist and long-standing practitioner of the craft, who currently serves as a trustee for the Doreen Valiente Foundation.
This interview traces the life and spiritual impact of the woman widely known as the "Mother of Modern Witchcraft." We begin by exploring Rufus’s own journey into Wicca and how his professional background in psychology provides a unique lens through which he views the evolution of the pagan community.
The Heart of the Conversation: Who was Doreen Valiente? We dive into a biography of this pivotal figure, moving beyond her titles to understand her as a poet, a researcher, and a spiritual revolutionary.
The Gardnerian Connection: Rufus distinguishes Valiente’s contributions from those of her contemporary, Gerald Gardner, highlighting how her poetic voice and ethical framework shaped the Craft as we know it today.
The Foundation’s Mission: Rufus discusses the vital work of preserving sacred artifacts, rare writings, and the personal legacy of a woman who sought to bring the magic of the old world into the modern era.
Spirituality in Practice: From the "Charge of the Goddess" to her scholarly research, we discuss the enduring resonance of Valiente's work and why it remains "alive" for practitioners in the 21st century.
Whether you are a long-time practitioner or simply curious about the history of modern spirituality, this interview offers a deep dive into the stewardship of a legacy. Rufus shares personal reflections on his role as a trustee and offers guidance on where seekers can find authentic resources to further their own studies.

PROGRAM NOTES
Home | Doreen Valiente
Books by Doreen Valiente (Author of Natural Magic)
Natural Magic: Valiente, Doreen: 8601404398032: Amazon.com: Books
THE ATLANTIS BOOKSHOP | The living history of magic
Home - Museum of Witchcraft and Magic
Lifting the Veil: A Witches' Guide to Trance-Prophesy, Drawing Down the Moon and Ecstatic Ritual: Farrar, Janet, Bone, Gavin: 9780719831621: Amazon.com: Books
What Witches Do: A Modern Coven Revealed: Farrar, Stewart: 9780719831539: Amazon.com: Books
Aradia or the Gospel of the Witches: The Founding Book of Modern Witchcraft, Containing History, Traditions, Dianic Goddesses and Folklore of Wicca: Leland, Charles Godfrey: 9781985818026: Amazon.com: Books
High Magic's Aid - Kindle edition by Gardner, Gerald . Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Books by Vivianne Crowley (Author of Wicca)
Books by Patricia Crowther (Author of Lid Off the Cauldron)
John Belham-Payne Founder of the Centre For Pagan Studies – Centre For Pagan Studies
John Belham-Payne – Gardnerian Wicca

Music & End Production: Stephanie Shea

This is the Free Content version of my interview with author Graham St. John. To access the full interview, please consider joining Patreon as a paid member, or you can purchase the episode for a one-time fee. www.patreon.com/RejectedReligion. 
This month’s guest is author Graham St. John, who joined me to discuss his new book, Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna.
Terence McKenna remains one of the most enigmatic voices of the psychedelic counterculture—equal parts philosopher, performer, and visionary. In this episode, we explore McKenna’s mythopoetic “stoned ape” theory, his radical take on shamanism, the ‘teacher’ Mushroom that leads one to the ‘indwelling of the Goddess’, the mysteries of DMT and the “machine elves,” and his controversial Timewave Zero vision of history and hyperspace that embraced the I Ching and the Mayan calendar ‘2012 phenomenon.’
Beyond psychedelics, McKenna was also fascinated with alchemy and Gnosticism, and while figures like Crowley, John Dee, and Gurdjieff were not embraced by McKenna, Graham nevertheless calls him a “psychedelic occultist”—a thinker whose visions of transformation resonate with centuries of esoteric tradition, even if McKenna probably would have resisted the label. Along the way, we unpack the tension between his cult of personality and his desire for academic legitimacy, and consider the legacy he left for today’s psychedelic and occult communities.
Unfortunately, I experienced some technical difficulties with my podcasting equipment, and the sound quality is not up to the normal standard. Luckily, my brother Daniel, who does the editing for the podcasts, was able to work his engineering magic and was able to salvage the file and clean up the audio the best he could. I hope this isn’t too distracting and that you’ll enjoy this discussion!
PROGRAM NOTES:
Find Graham St. John:
Graham St John, anthropologist, cultural historian and author. Researcher of EDM cultures, Burning Man, psychedelics, biographer of Terence McKenna. Founder of Dancecult journal. Edgecentral

Publications | Edgecentral
Strange Attractor
Theme Music and Editing: Daniel P. Shea
End Production: Stephanie Shea

*Note: this is the Free Content version of my interview with Bastiaan van Rijn. To hear the entire interview, please consider joining my Patreon and becoming a member; alternately, this episode can be purchased for a one-time fee. More information at www.patreon.com/RejectedReligion.
My guest this month is Dr. Bastiaan van Rijn.
Bastiaan is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. During his PhD, he has investigated how practitioners of different movements in the nineteenth century tried to scientifically prove life after death exists. The outcome of this project is the book Afterlife Research (forthcoming), as well as several open-access articles. Beside this, he is also interested in playful approaches to religion and divination in the contemporary West. His newest project centers on spiritual tourism.
This interview takes us into the fascinating world of Mesmerism—also known as animal magnetism—and its enduring influence on the boundaries between science, mysticism, and spiritual inquiry. Bastiaan gives a brief bio of Franz Anton Mesmer, who in the late 18th century proposed that an invisible fluid flowed through all living beings, capable of healing and revealing hidden truths. Though controversial and dismissed by many, Mesmer’s ideas sparked a lineage of thought that continues to shape contemporary conversations about consciousness, healing, and the legitimacy of scientific inquiry.
We discuss how Mesmerism blended science and mysticism, influenced public perception, and laid the groundwork for practices ranging from hypnotism and New Thought to modern-day energetic healing. Bastiaan’s own research picks up this thread, tracing how the experimental impulse to make the invisible visible evolved into afterlife studies, somnambulism, and psychical research.
From there, we dive into Bastiaan’s dissertation, which examines the emergence of a “scientific culture” in afterlife research—one grappling with empirical inaccessibility, unreliable intermediaries, and skeptical resistance. Through case studies of three spiritual animal magnetizers, Bastiaan uncovers how different strategies were used to stabilize claims and navigate the tension between belief and method.
Ultimately, this conversation invites us to rethink what counts as scientific, Bastiaan invites us to consider not just what these researchers claimed to find, but how they tried to find it, as well as how experimental practices in esoteric and spiritual domains contribute to broader dialogues about religion, and the unseen dimensions of human experience.
What emerges is a rich, transhistorical culture of inquiry—one that challenges our assumptions about science, religion, and the boundaries of legitimate knowledge.
PROGRAM NOTES
Find Bastiaan:
Bastiaan Benjamin Van Rijn - University of Fribourg
Bastiaan van Rijn | LinkedIn
Instagram

ResearchGate – all research
[PhD Diss.] The Experimental Culture of Afterlife Research: Attempts by Spiritual Animal Magnetizers to Prove Life after Death | Request PDF
(PDF) Chapter 9 Building a Typology for Intentional Transformative Experiences: Louis- Alphonse Cahagnet’s Experiments with Magnetic Somnambulism and Hashish
Bastiaan van Rijn (0000-0003-4247-9198) - ORCID

Other Resources:
1784: The Marquis de Puységur and the psychological turn in the west - PubMed

The seeress of Prevorst; being revelations concerning the inner-life of man, and the inter-diffusion of a world of spirits in the one we inhabit : Kerner, Justinus Andreas Christian, 1786-1862 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Investigations of psychic/spiritual phenomena in the nineteenth century: somnambulism and spiritualism, 1811-1860

A Republic of Mind and Spirit – Wonderful history of Metaphysics in the USA

🕯️ MESMER 🕯️ (1994) Watch FULL MOVIE subtitled in English (ALAN RICKMAN, AMANDA OOMS)

 
Music and Editing: Daniel P. Shea
End Production: Stephanie Shea