S2 #86 / Gary Lachman, Touched by The Presence

In this episode of Spirit Box, I’m joined by Gary Lachman — musician, writer, and author of twenty-six books on Western esotericism — for a conversation that spans from the Bowery to the astral.Gary was the bassist for Blondie during their early New York years, and shares his journey from a childhood fascination with comics to his time living in a loft with Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, where a flamboyant biker artist introduced him to Aleister Crowley. That encounter, and a fateful read of Colin Wilson’s The Occult, set him on a lifelong path through the hidden corridors of consciousness, mysticism, and philosophy.We talk about precognitive dreams and telepathy, the strange electrical accident that may have opened psychic doors, and how a shared dream with his girlfriend became the Blondie song “Touched by Your Presence.” Gary reflects on his shift from rock and roll to writing, his time as a science journalist, and his enduring fascination with thinkers like Gurdjieff, Robert Anton Wilson, and Arthur Koestler.The conversation also explores Gary’s “naturalist” approach to magic — a focus on direct experience rather than dogma — and his philosophy of daily writing as an esoteric practice in itself. Along the way, we touch on David Bowie, near-death encounters, and the lasting influence of Colin Wilson on his work.

Show notes:
https://www.gary-lachman.com
https://www.instagram.com/gvlachman/
https://www.innertraditions.com/touched-by-the-presence

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