Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan

At age nine, Marc was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome due to incessant vocal and motor tics that interfered with every aspect of his life. Every medical professional concluded that his condition was uncontrollable and incurable, but Marc overcame Tourette’s in 2013, drawing from innovations from courses in emotional intelligence (NXIVM), using only mind over body, and sheer will. (Adapted from Marc’s website.) Marc is a passionate advocate for NXIVM’s founder, Keith Raniere, arguing that Keith didn’t get a fair trial and that his actions have been misrepresented in the media.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Only a Fool Would Say That” by Steely Dan; Outro: “Homens,” by Manu Chao. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Are you a proud optimist? A glass half-full sorta person? How much is too much to spend on feline medical care? Should I stay or should I go? Do we actually love our pets or just convince ourselves we do? Is there wisdom to be found in ruthlessness? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Tony grew up in an intentional spiritual community in West Virginia that many called a hippie commune. His new book, Red, White & Blind looks at how censorship, propaganda, and disinformation are woven into American history and are becoming increasingly corrosive in the digital age. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

On September 16, 1994, sixty-two students at Ariel School in Zimbabwe witnessed something incredible. In his fantastic documentary, Ariel Phenomenon, Randall Nickerson explores the close encounter these schoolchildren experienced. Over twenty-five years later, this incident is still fresh in their memories. They continue to search for answers – and the courage to speak their truth. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

In which I respond to a lobster fisherman’s question about why he gets restless in relationships. I yammer on about the difference between a “romantic” approach to loving women vs. an “epic” approach, and how each can play out in terms of loving her righteously. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comIn which I talk about the difference between scarcity and value, and how conflating scarcity with value gets us into trouble. Diamonds aren’t your best friends. A few words about some of the reasons we’re in Crestone and the life-boat we’re designing.

I “met” Charlie when he wrote to gently correct me on some nonsense I’d said on the podcast about climate change. I could tell from the content of his email that he knew what he was talking about, and I could tell from the tone of his email that he was a good dude. So I asked if he’d be willing to join me to talk about climate change next time I was in the area (he teaches at University of California, Irvine). Eventually, it came to be. Then we had dinner.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Weather With You,” by Crowded House; Outro: “Better World,” by KnowMads.And now for something extra, just for Substack subscribers: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

My friend Allison Pelot was a gymnast from about the age of 5 to 22. Then, she studied pre-physical therapy before switching over to exercise science and personal training. She went on to study holistic health, energy work metaphysics, spirituality and whatever seemed related to physical health, holistic healing, and using food to both regenerate our bodies and keep them healthy. Her book is called Finally Thriving: Your Guide to Empowered Wellness. She’s also Murphy’s mom — episodes 121 and 547.If Allison seems familiar, she and her husband, Liam were on the podcast a while ago, episode 285, where they talk about confronting every parent’s worst nightmare when their 8 year-old son fall off a 40-foot cliff, just an arm’s length away from them.You can learn more about Allison and Finally Thrive here.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Stranger on the Shore,” by Acker Bilk; Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. (She’s on tour!)Here’s my chat with Tao Ruspoli. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Murphy first appeared on this podcast seven years ago, in episode 121. He was 13 1/2 years old at that time, getting ready to swim across the river of adolescence. Seven years later, he’s experienced many of the things he was anticipating then. He’s every bit as thoughtful, kind, and insightful as I figured he’d become. If you sometimes feel despair about “kids these days,” people like Murphy can melt your cold, cold heart into a puddle of liquid hope. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

I’ve known Stanley Krippner since the mid-1990s, when he invited me to join him on a three week trip to Brazil. He’s a world-famous researcher and author who has has hung out with everyone from Timothy Leary to Alan Watts to the Grateful Dead. He and I have traveled together to all over the planet, from a shamanism conference in Bavaria to a Psychoneuroimmunology conference in Buenos Aires to an adventure in search of the desert spirits in Morocco. We entered the “Sistine Chapel of Prehistoric Art” together at Lascaux, France and visited religious scholars in Kerala, India. I’m leaving out A LOT. He’s been a close friend for 25 years, and was one of the first (and most frequent) guests on the podcast. Here are links to previous episodes: 5, 24, 82, 169, 211 (with Wim Hof), and 263. He celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday. This conversation was recorded (with Anya Kaats) recently. As you’ll hear, he’s sharp as ever and full of wisdom and humor.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “A Memory from a Past Life Keeps Calling Me Back,” by The KLF; Outro: “Homens,” by Manu Chao.And now for something extra, just for Substack subscribers, Stan discussing gender and sexuality from an anthropological perspective: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe