In this episode of Spirit Box, I sit down with Gabriel, author of Chapel Perilous: The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson, for a deep dive into the wild and weird territory Wilson loved to inhabit—where Irish folklore, psychedelic exploration, and quantum physics intersect.

Gabriel takes us into Wilson’s 1975 encounter with a Celtic Púca—part holy guardian angel, part mischievous trickster—and shows how this moment connects to his fascination with the “Celtic roots” of quantum theory. We get into William Rowan Hamilton’s strange mathematics that became essential to Schrödinger’s equation, the playful logic of the Irish language, and how Finnegans Wakesomehow helped name a subatomic particle.

In The Plus Show Gabriel and I dig into Wilson’s spontaneous remote viewing experience that took place the exact same day the CIA’s Project Stargate psychics were in action. We also explore his magical practices, the Sirius connection, and his puckish dismantling of conspiracy culture.

It’s a conversation that moves between myth and mathematics, with plenty of mischievous detours—very much in the spirit of Bob himself.
Show notes:
Gabriel Kennedy https://chapelperilous.us
Get the book https://www.lulu.com/shop/gabriel-kennedy-and-douglas-rushkoff-and-grant-morrison-and-laura-kang/chapel-perilous/paperback/product-kvmj4v2.html?srsltid=AfmBOoojOH_J04aew2Q7N-jXvdL6A_HjRxLDdsMqSI4FIcYzN5L7phqL&page=1&pageSize=4
Robert Anton Wilson: Talks About the Pooka. The Giant Rabbit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfKVaMO7Qng
The Celtic Roots of Quantum Theory https://sites.google.com/site/onlymaybe/course-notes-and-syllabus/celtic-roots-of-quantum-theory?utm_source=chatgpt.com
RAW books https://rawilson.com/books/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Ingrid Cold. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indrid_Cold
The Complete SECRET CIPHER Of the UfOnauts https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-SECRET-CIPHER-UfOnauts/dp/171864535X
Ingrid Cold phone call https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INtbv3cd1BA
Donnie Darko https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZyBaFYFySk
Woodrow Derenberger talks about his 1966 UFO sighting & encounter with a humanoid named Indrid Cold https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP_NFPjgCXA
The Púca https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Púca
William Rowan Hamilton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rowan_Hamilton
Finnegans Wake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnegans_Wake

Keep in touch?https://linktr.ee/darraghmasonMusic by Obliqka https://soundcloud.com/obliqka

In this episode of Spirit Box, I catch up with Aidan Wachter for a long overdue catch up on writing, magic, and what it means to stay human while the world feels like it’s cracking open.

Aidan shares where he’s at with his latest book on animism — moving away from the old idea of manifesting stuff and into something deeper. He even talks about receiving guidance from on his walks, which, if you know Aidan, makes perfect sense.

We dig into the weird pressure to have a book in print as some kind of spiritual badge of honour, and an indicator of having maxed out your practice which is rarely the case!

We also talk about the messy association of magic and money — how people still expect quick wealth as proof that the magic works, when the reality is far more complex.

From there, we drift into the state of things — how so many systems are failing and might shift radically in the next decade, and how we try to keep our heads and hearts intact through it all.

In the Plus show, we share how we’re both finding community and mental balance these days. How changes that we've made have given benefits in kind. We discuss how the systems of Empire that are damaging people, and the quiet importance of self-reliance and local knowledge. It’s all part of the same question: how do we stay human, stay connected, and keep the spirit alive against the backdrop of a changing and volatile world?

Show notes:
https://www.aidanwachter.com
https://www.patreon.com/c/aidanwachter/posts

Keep in touch?https://linktr.ee/darraghmason

In this episode, I sit down with Sheer Zed for a deep and winding exploration of a life spent navigating the liminal spaces of Eastern philosophy, occult practice, and the hidden world of Thai tattoo magic.

Sheer Zed shares how a childhood sparked by Zen stories, beat poets, and old Kung Fu shows led him into a lifelong fascination with Buddhism and the occult. From psychedelic journeys in London’s squat culture to Tibetan teachings in Los Angeles, his path has been anything but ordinary.

We dive into Sheer Zed’s extraordinary experiences receiving Sak Yant — sacred tattoos given by Thai Ajarns (masters) — and the intense rituals that bind ink, mantra, and spirit into living magic. In the Plus show we go deeper still and he recounts vivid encounters with powerful teachers and possession by tiger spirits during ceremonies in Thailand, moments that transformed him forever.

We also explore the rich, sometimes shadowy world of Thai amulets — from skull bones and protective spirits to the ethics of sourcing sacred objects that carry hidden histories.

This conversation wanders through spiritual folklore, animism, Buddhism, and the occult, connecting them all through Sheer Zed’s firsthand stories.
Enjoy
Show notes:
https://linktr.ee/SheerZed

Keep in touch?https://linktr.ee/darraghmasonMusic by Obliqka https://soundcloud.com/obliqka