Episode 31: Joseph Matheny – Reality is What You Can Get Away With, magick, ritual, method acting and more...
Mar 23, 2024
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Explore magic, method acting, and reality with Joseph Matheny, a friend of Robert Anton Wilson. Delve into immersive role-playing, wilderness experiences, online misunderstandings, and nostalgic reflections in this intriguing podcast conversation.
Immersing in wilderness fosters spiritual connection and self-discovery away from modern distractions.
Proper shamanic initiation demands training and support to avoid panic and confusion in profound experiences.
Writing authentically for personal fulfillment surpasses chasing commercial success in creative endeavors.
Blending method acting with ritual magic enhances self-awareness and creativity, aligning inner growth with natural exploration.
Deep dives
Connection between Wilderness and Spiritual Exploration
Being immersed in the wilderness allows one to disconnect from the noise of modernity and find solitude to explore deeper connections with nature and oneself. The lack of distractions helps in attuning to the wisdom of the land and hearing the subtle messages it conveys. The wilderness serves as the ideal environment to shut off the external influences and listen to the silence, opening up space for profound revelations and spiritual experiences.
Preparation for Shamanic Initiations
Getting 'cracked open' by shamanic experiences without proper guidance can lead to panic and misunderstanding. Specialized skills required for shamanic practices must be honed through extensive training and experience. Such initiations often involve wilderness journeys where individuals are challenged to connect with the land, the spirits, and themselves. Failed initiations can result from the lack of preparation and support in navigating these sacred experiences.
Navigating Shamanic Circumstances
The modern world often places individuals into shamanic circumstances without equipping them with the necessary tools or understanding. Encountering profound spiritual experiences without proper guidance can create confusion and distress. It is crucial to approach such situations with openness, receptivity, and a deep respect for the mystical aspects of life. Building a foundation of specialized skills and support is essential to navigate and integrate these shamanic circumstances.
Lessons from Wilderness Vigils
Engaging in wilderness vigils teaches individuals valuable lessons in resilience, self-reliance, and humility. These experiences offer a mirror reflecting back personal strengths and shortcomings, highlighting the importance of cooperation and individual responsibility. By immersing oneself in the natural world and unplugging from modern distractions, profound insights and personal growth can emerge, leading to a deeper connection with oneself and the environment.
The Impact of Method Acting and Ritual Magic
Method acting and ritual magic can serve as powerful tools for self-exploration and creativity, offering pathways to deeper understanding and personal transformation. By honing these skills, individuals can access heightened states of awareness and tap into hidden potentials within themselves. The alignment of these practices with wilderness experiences can further enhance spiritual growth and connection with the natural world, fostering a harmonious relationship between the inner and outer landscapes.
The Power of Writing for Yourself
The podcast episode delves into the importance of writing for oneself rather than focusing on commercial success. The speaker recounts a conversation where a friend advised him to write a book that only a limited audience would read, emphasizing authenticity and personal expression over mass appeal. This approach challenges the conventional wisdom of writing for market trends or external expectations. By following this advice, the speaker adopted a credo to write for himself, prioritizing the intrinsic value of creative expression over external validation and commercial success.
Unpacking the Origins of an Alternate Reality Game
The podcast explores the origins of an immersive alternate reality game (ARG) known as Aung's Hat, considered the world's first ARG. The speaker details how Aung's Hat was developed as a unique storytelling experience blending elements of magic, quantum theory, and fringe concepts. Drawing inspiration from influences such as Fred Alan Wolf's chaos theory and interactions with prominent thinkers like Robert Anton Wilson, the game aimed to embody an infinite play concept without winners or losers. Despite its innovative approach, Aung's Hat faced challenges when mainstream audiences misinterpreted its content, leading to its eventual closure and reflection on the evolving landscape of conspiracy culture and storytelling.
In this episode, Mike Gathers chats with Joseph Matheny, multidisciplinary artist and explorer of both the wilderness and the esoteric. Joe was an old friend of Robert Anton Wilson (Joe was also Bob's chauffeur for a while), and he was talking to Bob a lot when the book Reality Is What You Can Get Away With was published, and part of the efforts in trying to get the screenplay produced.
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Links...
• Joseph Matheny's website:
https://josephmatheny.com/
