Best John Ching Podcasts (2025)

1
LinkedIn For Ghosts 1:03:33

18d ago1:03:33

1:03:33

Last night I got halfway through a Substack post on a related issue to some of the subjects that came up on my appearance on the Disintegrator podcast. When I went to link to it, it suddenly dawned on me I had only shared it on the Rune Soup Premium Members Mighty Network. (Join below.) So here it is! We recorded this soon after my arrival in Parag…

1
I See That Strange Tales Are Woven About You 23:08

27d ago23:08

23:08

Magical objects aren’t just forged—they’re found. In this solo episode, I explore the secret life of enchanted tools: the knife with a story, the crystal touched by a world-mountain, the wand bought in a witch town that still summons fairy queens. What gives an object its power? Sometimes it’s planetary timing and whispered invocations—but sometime…

1
Huáscar Rising 30:31

2M ago30:31

30:31

Hello from Cusco, where the streets are laid out like a puma and hawkers offer massages on every corner. I've been thinking about Huáscar, the last true Sapa Inca, who willingly took sacred knowledge into the underworld until the time was right for its return. What if the strange convergence we're witnessing - the grimoire revival, the sudden value…

1
Tolkien's Shire Anarchy and the Mandate of Heaven 1:35:22

2M ago1:35:22

1:35:22

This week, I'm welcoming fellow substacker and Tolkien nerd, Charles McBride, whose essay 'Shire Anarchy' caught my eye in the cultural curiosity that is the substack notes app. We're diving into the political imagination behind Middle-Earth – a world where having a king is perfectly fine, as long as he's quite far away or, better yet, long dead. F…

1
Bathed In A Blue Suede Light | Miguel Conner 1:04:06

2M ago1:04:06

1:04:06

Everyone’s favourite gnostic raconteur, Miguel Conner, returns to the show this week to discuss his latest book, The Occult Elvis. The book becomes an entryway into a wide-ranging discussion on the role of shamans, cultural transformation, fate and the destiny of America. (Mere trifles!) Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to the Occult Elvis 04:03 The S…

1
Gandalf And The Ice Wall: You Shall Not Pass? 57:29

2M ago57:29

57:29

In this episode, I explore the shifting landscape of conspiracy culture and what I've been noticing about an emerging "conspiracy canon." Recording from my new apartment in Paraguay, I dive into observations from my recent event with Greg Carlwood in Florida, examining how conspiracy thinking has evolved from political analysis to metaphysical ques…

1
Amor Fatty 24:16

3M ago24:16

24:16

Hi from the Amazon jungle. Honestly, if I’d known that AI would do such a good job of describing this podcast, I would have left it in charge and stayed longer. Although I will say, I asked it to write it in the style of the speaker, and it made me sound way more polite than I usually am to you scrubs. Enjoy! (PS - you will find the same show in yo…

1
Magic: You're Not Ready Till You're Ready 47:29

4M ago47:29

47:29

A solo show from Asunción, Paraguay. I wanted to share some thoughts that I have been sitting with while remastering all the premium member courses, beginning with Grimoires. These thoughts turned into a full-length solo show. Hope you like it! AI certainly seems to have had an absolute blast listening to it: In this thought-provoking episode, Gord…

1
Episode 262: Jansen Teng, Co-Founder of Virtuals Protocol on building the Infrastructure for AI Agent Society 41:06

4M ago41:06

41:06

In this episode of Base Layer, we dive deep with Jansen Teng, co-founder of Virtuals Protocol, exploring how their framework is revolutionizing AI agent development and deployment. Key Discussion Points: Origins in blockchain gaming and evolution to autonomous AI agents Technical architecture including memory systems and planning engines Revenue mo…

1
Does the West Have a Magical Metaphysics? | John Michael Greer 1:23:00

5M ago1:23:00

1:23:00

Ringing in the new year with a banger! John Michael Greer returns to the show to explore Whether we can say if 'western' magic has a discernable metaphysics. What those might be. Seeing as AI did such a good job of giving us a definition of metaphysics (which you will get in the show), here's what she thinks the episode is about: "The dialogue emph…

1
2025 Astrology Forecast (H1) | Austin Coppock 2:28:52

5M ago2:28:52

2:28:52

Austin Coppock returns to the show for our traditional six-monthly astrological forecast, this time for the first half of 2025. We are calling this one Just The Tip (Of The Chainsword)! 00:00 Introduction to 2025 Astrology Predictions 02:56 The Significance of Warhammer 40K in 2025 05:45 Astrological Context: The Transition from 2024 to 2025 09:00 …

1
There is only ever one revolution (The Invisibles as model of Belonging) 1:05:22

6M ago1:05:22

1:05:22

In this episode, Gordon discusses the evolution of his podcast, the connections between magical individuals, and the themes presented in Grant Morrison's comic series, The Invisibles. He explores The loneliness epidemic in modern society. The role of digital connectivity. The concept of the invisible college as a metaphor for shared vision and belo…

1
The Life, Times and Legacy of Robert Anton Wilson | Gabriel Kennedy 1:40:21

6M ago1:40:21

1:40:21

Gabriel Kennedy joins the show to discuss Chapel Perilous: The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson, the first-ever book-length biography of ol' RAW. We explore Wilson's life, philosophy, and literary contributions. Kennedy shares his personal journey of discovering Wilson's work, the process of writing the biography, and the significance…

1
How To Gaslight Yourself Out Of Magical Success 49:55

7M ago49:55

49:55

The show returns with some actionable findings from almost a year of regular sigil work. We look at The ways you mess up your own magical results by not admitting what you want. The ways you mess up your own magical results by not admitting where you are at. What to do about it. And toward the end, I lay out the plans for the premium member glow-up…

1
The World Without Sin Has Arrived | Solo Show 47:45

9M ago47:45

47:45

We're trialling a new format this week, as I am in the Bay of Fires for work. A visit to a beer-drinking pig inspired some ruminations on how and why we connect as this idiotic, digital hellscape builds itself around us. The episode discusses the manipulation and sanitization of reality through digital currencies, IDs, and the evolving media landsc…

1
Mayan Calendar Shamanism | Julián Katari 2:00:53

9M ago2:00:53

2:00:53

This week, we welcome to the show Mexican-Bolivian-Chilean healer, Red Path shaman and teacher Julián Katari. Fun fact about Julián: He was my translator for my recent trip up to stay with the Kallawaya in the Bolivian High Andes. So we talk about that, of course. We also talk about his own remarkable journey of spirit: ⭐ Vision quests ⭐ Aztec danc…

1
Time Magic and the I Ching | Maja D'Aoust 1:09:23

10M ago1:09:23

1:09:23

Witch, author, biochemist and oriental medicine specialist, Maja D'Aoust, joins us to discuss Time Magic and the I Ching. We explore: The impact childhood illness can have on the practice of magic. The difference between ancient Chinese and more 'Western' experiences of time. The origin of the I Ching as a gift from serpent spirits. The sort of ans…

1
Art As Evocation | Phil Ford & JF Martel 1:14:31

10M ago1:14:31

1:14:31

The dynamic duo behind Weird Studies, Phil Ford and J F Martel, join the show to explore the ways in which art is a form of evocation. We look at: Orson Welles as divine shamanic faker. Hollywood's vaudeville origins. What is a trick and what is a lie and can you even use those words if they show you the 'truth'? 'Western' and non-'Western' underst…

1
Magic Is Post-Institutional | Douglas Rushkoff 53:02

10M ago53:02

53:02

Media theorist and internet legend Douglas Rushkoff joins the show this week. We explore: Is there even such a thing as 'media' anymore? The promises and (many) failings of the tech world. UBIs, digital utopias and dystopias. Where we look for hope and optimism now. Where magic sits in our shared realities. An amazing chat with one of the greats! E…

1
Cards Against Divinity - Balthazar Blacke & Natalia Lee 1:21:16

10M ago1:21:16

1:21:16

Two contemporary deck creators, Balthazar Blacke and Natalia Lee, join the show this week for a round table on fortune telling and the role oracle cards specifically should have in your cartomantic practice. We explore: The things oracle cards can do that tarot cannot. (And vice versa!) Which situations call for which type of deck. Some historic re…

1
Magic, Media And Chaos with Richard Metzger 1:40:40

11M ago1:40:40

1:40:40

Legendary cultural curator, media theorist and provocateur Richard Metzger joins the show this week. Richard, of course, co-founded The Disinformation Company, founded Dangerous Minds and has spent decades observing and participating in the changing media landscape. He is with us now to talk about his latest project, Magick Show, an extended docume…

1
Magical Thinking 101: What It Really Is And How To Improve Your Life With It 1:55:54

11M ago1:55:54

1:55:54

This week's solo show forms part of a collection of observations lining us up for the beginning of the five-month, gargantuan Time Magic course we're starting in August. Here, we explore the quiet politics of magical thinking: The origin of the term. How it sort of is and sort of isn't like magical realism. Examples of it in the history of western …

1
Magical Egypt and The Legacy of John Anthony West | Chance Gardner and Vanese McNeil 1:46:19

11M ago1:46:19

1:46:19

Chance Gardner and Vanese McNeil, producers of the legendary documentary series Magical Egypt, join the show this week. We discuss Getting history right and wrong. The legacy of John Anthony West and R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz. Materialism and its impact on studying history. The latest series of Magical Egypt -which Gordon is in! I mention at the ou…

1
Astrology Forecast H2 2024 - Austin Coppock 1:49:36

11M ago1:49:36

1:49:36

Six moons have passed and so the Council of the Wise was summoned once again. Also I was there. Austin Coppock returns to the show for the traditional half-yearly forecast. Join us as we talk about Mars retrogrades, eclipses, elections and proxy wars. Stick around till the end for some TV recommendations, because why not? Enjoy!…

1
How To Be A Synchromystic - Christopher Knowles 2:01:42

12M ago2:01:42

2:01:42

The legendary Christopher Knowles of the Secret Sun joins us this week to explain how to be a synchromystic. We learn ✅ What is synchronicity? ✅ What role synchronicity plays in modern mysticism. ✅ The importance of symbol sets in this pursuit. ✅ How this modern practice is really an ancient one described. Whilst it's always a pleasure to have Chri…

1
Iamblichus, Theurgy and The Body | Professor Gregory Shaw 1:11:47

12M ago1:11:47

1:11:47

Gregory Shaw, Professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College, joins the show to discuss, theurgy, the work of Iamblichus, and how we have probably got the Neoplatonists' attitude to the body quite wrong. We discuss The DESCENT of rather than ASCENT TO the gods. The theurgic imagination and how it relates to the spirit world. The role of divina…

1
Adventure As Epistemology | Solo Show 1:32:46

1y ago1:32:46

1:32:46

Let's make the most of my jet lag and jump right back into regular live streams the morning after I arrive back on the farm! In this episode, we discuss How and why Wade Davis is my hero. The definition of adventure and why that matters for magicians. How adventuring creates reality. Sacred travel, how it is and isn't different from adventure. Tips…

1
Jake Stratton-Kent's Night School | Erzebet Barthold 1:17:01

1y ago1:17:01

1:17:01

Hadean Press's Erzebet Barthold returns to the show this week, on the occasion of the release of Cyprian's Offices of the Spirits -the posthumously published final volume in Jake Stratton-Kent's Night School. We talk about goetia, we talk about the sublunar, we talk about English Qaballa -all the Jake hits, really. And, inevitably, we reminisce abo…

1
How To Get Good at Magic - Notes From Bolivia | Solo Show 40:44

1y ago40:44

40:44

Coming to you from the shores of Lake Titicaca! Some lessons on how to get good at magic, specifically sigil magic, learned on the road in Bolivia. The short answer is your first hundred sigils will teach you more about magic than any book ever will. The long answer is.... this podcast. Here I share my notes and observations from spending time in m…

1
Is Marxism Gnostic? Responding To Jordan Peterson | Miguel Conner 1:35:41

1y ago1:35:41

1:35:41

Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio's Miguel Conner returns to the show this week for an in-depth unpacking of claims made by Jordan Peterson, James Lindsay and others in the online Right that Marxism is actually Gnosticism. We look at The origins of these claims. Exactly WHERE and HOW they are wrong. The origins of Gnosticism. The 'true' origins of 'woke' tho…

1
Kate Middleton, Willy Wonka and the Spice Memes of Arrakis | World Without Sin 2:06:59

1y ago2:06:59

2:06:59

This week's episode is an installment in the long-running World Without Sin series, examining how we respond to monolithic media and how not every outsider is a plucky freedom fighter. We also look at how and why it might be that all forms of expression are collapsing into a meme singularity and what this might have to do with the jester archetype.…

1
Base Layer Episode 261 - Step Simpkin, Co-Founder of Squads, helping companies form in a web3 world 18:29

1y ago18:29

18:29

Squads Labs is a core contributor to Squads Protocol, the leading multisig infrastructure on Solana. In addition to helping maintain the protocol, Squads Labs makes the Squads platform, an institutional-grade multisig platform for Solana-based teams. The Squads platform helps web3-native teams manage and secure digital assets on-chain. To learn mor…

1
Base Layer Episode 261 - Sergey Gorbunov, Founder of Axelar on building the connective tissue for Web3 24:22

1y ago24:22

24:22

Axelar is for Web3 what Stripe is for mobile and internet applications: it works on the back end, connecting various networks into one-click experiences for all users. Come listen to co-founder Sergey Gurbunov on what purpose Axelar plays in an ever-expanding web3 world with various L1 & L2 blockchain ecosystems.…

1
Base Layer Episode 260: Avery Ching, Co-Founder of Aptos; from days at Meta to building a state of the art blockchain 28:42

1+ y ago28:42

28:42

What an episode! Avery joins us and tells us his story of helping to launch Aptos from the early innovations of Meta's former project, Diem and Libra. This is a technical deep dive into what makes Aptos different from other blockchains, like Ethereum or Solana. We discuss their choice not to slash (negative economic incentives others have used), sh…

1
Base Layer Episode 259: Robert Leshner, CEO of Superstate on traditional finance modernized by blockchain 22:05

1+ y ago22:05

22:05

Robert, a real OG legend and co-founder of Compound, joins us today on Base Layer for a special show, introducing his new company, Superstate. Superstate is an asset management firm modernizing the infrastructure of investment funds. They offer investment products that benefit from the speed, programmability, and compliance advantages of blockchain…

1
Leaning Into 'Mixed' (Bad) Fortune | Life Update | Solo Show 37:54

1+ y ago37:54

37:54

Hello from the road! Just wanted to get out a little solo show of what I have been up to, which also morphed into how to deal with foreseen rather than unforeseen dramas. We also cover some updates on the Sigil A Day project, and speculate on the development of media and podcasts in our post-Putin-interview World Without Sin. Enjoy! Chat soon!…

1
Base Layer Episode 258: Austin Federa, Solana Foundation on hardening the chain + the importance of Saga 24:08

1+ y ago24:08

24:08

Austin Federa joined me for a great conversation about what Solana learned over the past year to harden their infrastructure as they see surges in interest in their NFT & DeFi ecosystem, plus how their phone, the Saga, has been doing in the market to redefine how blockchains can not just be software, but hardware running digital asset codebase. Mor…

1
Base Layer Episode 257: Ben Jones, co-founder of Optimism, a masterclass on the role of the L2 and the OP Stack 35:49

1+ y ago35:49

35:49

Built as a minimal extension to existing Ethereum software, OP Mainnet's EVM-equivalent architecture scales your Ethereum apps without surprises. If it works on Ethereum, it works on OP Mainnet at a fraction of the cost. How has Optimism jumped to become the infrastructure for new consumer apps like Farcaster? Hear from Ben in what I am calling a m…

1
Iowa FFA State President 39:17

1+ y ago39:17

39:17

On the first episode of the All Hat No Cattle Podcast, we sit down with Holly Schmitt. She serves as the President of the Iowa FFA Association and is currently a student at Iowa State University. Holly talks about her experiences in FFA and agriculture in addition to being a college student.By John Ching

1
Base Layer Episode 256: John Woods, CTO of Algorand on the Algorand Gambit - a new era for Algorand 29:34

1+ y ago29:34

29:34

Algorand, a layer one blockchain first brought to market by esteemed cryptographer Silvio Micali, is going through rapid transformation, from the developer language it uses to mechanisms of incentivizing validator work and much more. All of this can be found in more detail here. John, Algorand CTO, joins us to talk through these points and the effe…

1
Base Layer Episode 255: Andy Chatham, Co-Founder of DIMO, turning your cars data into an asset 28:27

1+ y ago28:27

28:27

In 1908, Henry Ford unveiled the first Model T. In the span of 116 years, we have entered the next phase of the automobile -- car owners getting ownership of their automobile information and data. DIMO is a new company that aims to be empowering rather than confusing or limiting— stating that apps and connected devices should serve people first ins…

1
Base Layer Episode 254: Michael Shaulov, Co-Founder of Fireblocks, securing the transfer of $4 Trillion in digital assets 23:47

1+ y ago23:47

23:47

Fireblocks is an enterprise-grade platform that delivers a secure infrastructure for moving, storing, and issuing digital assets. Fireblocks enables exchanges, lending desks, custodians, banks, trading desks, and hedge funds to scale digital asset operations securely through the Fireblocks Network and MPC-based Wallet Infrastructure. Fireblocks ser…

1
Base Layer Episode 253: Rene Reinsberg, Co-Founder of Celo on being a mobile first, sustainably focused blockchain 25:58

1+ y ago25:58

25:58

Rene, the co-founder of Celo joins me for a great conversation about all the happenings there. Recently, Celo has moved to become an L2, so we talk about the why and what that entails. We also discuss their partnership with Opera, a browser touting 500M monthly active users. With this partnership, we also discuss MiniPay, a new initiative to bring …

1
Base Layer Episode 252: Luigi D'Onorio DeMeo, Ava Labs on becoming the port of call for Gaming & Finance into blockchains 25:17

1+ y ago25:17

25:17

I had such a great conversation with Luigi, who heads up business development & ecosystem at Ava Labs. We discussed everything from the initial design of Avalanche to the growth of Evergreen subnets, which could lead to companies like JP Morgan, Citi, and others directly connecting on the blockchain. We also discussed their work in Gaming, with upc…

1
Base Layer Episode 251: Illia Polosukhin, CEO Near Foundation on Chain Abstraction: simplifying the user experience 32:24

1+ y ago32:24

32:24

What a show! Illia, co-founder of Near and CEO of Near Foundation joins us to talk about massive shifts in the way we think about blockchains. From their new Blockchain Operating System to FastAuth and more, we discuss in-depth about the new user experience coming to digital assets - taking away the backend complexities of blockchains from the ever…

1
Base Layer Episode 250: Asta Li from Privy on helping the Web3 industry build delightful products 24:02

1+ y ago24:02

24:02

Asta Li, co-founder at Privy, joins me for a fantastic talk about the movement happening in digital assets, focused on building delightful consumer-centric products. Privy is the easiest way for developers to onboard all users to web3, regardless of whether they already have a wallet, across mobile and desktop. At Privy, the team spends a lot of ti…

1
UFOs, Jung and the Apocalypse | Mystic and the Machine 1:22:27

1+ y ago1:22:27

1:22:27

You may recall that Angie from Angie Speaks guested on the podcast last year. Well, she graciously invited me on a show she co-hosts, Mystic and the Machine, where we have a good ol' chat about UFOs, Jung, the looming apocalypse and how all of these things are interrelated. It was such a good chat, I'm releasing it as a main podcast episode this we…

1
Base Layer Episode 249: Jack O'Holleran, CEO of Skale Labs on their plan to win the Web3 Gaming sector 23:53

1+ y ago23:53

23:53

SKALE is a limitlessly scalable, fast, on-demand blockchain network with zero gas fees, allowing quick deployment of interoperable EVM-compatible chains without compromising security or decentralization. SKALE is a fully decentralized, open-source, community-owned network. Listen to CEO Jack O'Holleran talk about their work and their 2024 vision to…

1
Base Layer Episode 248: Marc Boiron, CEO Polygon Labs on attempting to build a blockchain empire 24:48

1+ y ago24:48

24:48

What a show! Marc, the CEO of Polygon Labs, joins me to break down all the new elements of Polygon 2.0 and how they aim to build an empire in the blockchain industry. You'll learn about many new pieces to the puzzle, including CDK, zkEVM, Miden, validiums, and much more. Here, you can learn about Polygon 2.0, from vision to design.…

1
Turning New Year's Intentions Into Enchantment Targets | Solo Show 58:03

1+ y ago58:03

58:03

Here we are in 2024, eh? And it’s off to a bang for people starting on the #SigilADay2024 Project and, to a lesser extent, Japan Airlines. In this solo show, we cover: Locating your intentions and goals for 2024. Turning them into enchantment topic areas. How to create sigils from scratch. The initial sigil activation I am offering for those embark…

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John Ching Podcasts

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