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Guest speakers: Lorenzo and his AI Friends



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October 1890. Herman Melville, seventy-one and forgotten forty years after Moby-Dick's failure, receives mysterious packages containing pages from his novel annotated by readers not yet born. These impossible messages lead him to the Isolatos, a secret society that doesn't just read his masterpiece but lives inside it. As Melville investigates, he confronts a mind-bending revelation: he may never have been the author at all, but merely the first reader of a book that writes itself through everyone who encounters it. Part literary mystery, part philosophical thriller, this novella explores what happens when a "failed" writer discovers his obscurity was the price of immortality.

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Guest speakers: Lorenzo's AI Friends


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London, autumn 1821. Thomas De Quincey is broke, hiding from creditors, and addicted to laudanum when a magazine offers him fifteen pounds ($2,000 in 2025 money) to write about his opium experiences. He has six weeks to finish what will become the first addiction memoir ever published Confessions of an English Opium-Eater.



This historical novella takes us inside those crucial weeks of literary creation, following De Quincey as he races against deadlines while wrestling with an impossible question: How do you write honestly about drug experiences without encouraging others to repeat your mistakes? Each page he completes brings him closer to fame—and closer to accepting responsibility for consequences he cannot predict or control.



Based on historical events, The First Trip Report explores how private suffering became public art, how a desperate writer accidentally invented a new literary genre, and how one small brown bottle of laudanum helped create the template for every addiction memoir written since. It's a story about the dangerous act of confession, the ethics of influence, and the moment when pharmaceutical experience first became serious literature.

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Tangier, 1957. William Burroughs is creating Naked Lunch in the port city where traditional hashish preparations flow as freely as mint tea, and every transaction crosses cultural boundaries. Through the eyes of a young Moroccan fixer who navigates between worlds we witness the birth of ideas that would reshape consciousness and art.



This is the untold story behind the famous line "language is a virus": a tale of how traditional North African wisdom practices intersected with experimental American writing, how words spread through cultural networks like contagions, and how the most revolutionary ideas often travel through the most ancient channels.



Fiction grounded in research and respect, "Majoun & Manuscript" explores what happens when consciousness expansion meets cultural appropriation, when preservation becomes violation, and when a young translator must choose between using language to control or to protect.



Majoun & Manuscript: A Tale from the Interzone - PDF Edition

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Guest speakers: Lorenzo's AI Friends



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I may have been wrong in discarding Terence McKenna's TimeWave Zero hypothesis. Of course, I may also be wrong about this new interpertation of his idea. Your comments are welcome. (And, yes, I am aware that it is over five hours long!)



Here are the approximate time-stamps for this audiobook:



Lorenzo Intro - 000Chapter 1 - 0:04:05Chapter 2 - 0:27:26Chapter 3 - 1:02:23Chapter 4 - 1:40:00Chapter 5 - 1:59:33Chapter 6 - 2:23:31Chapter 7 - 2:54:53Chapter 8 - 3:22:17Chapter 9 - 3:58:18Chapter 10 - 4:32:33Appendix - 4:58:50 (includes McKenna's comment about AI)

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Guest speaker: Lorenzo Hagerty & Voices by AI



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When a chemical spill devastates a coastal North Carolina town, Vietnamese American lawyer Minh Nguyen—who has always kept his heritage separate from his professional life—finds himself unexpectedly leading both the environmental battle and his community's response. As he fights corporate negligence and government corruption alongside his three talented sons, Minh discovers that true belonging doesn't come from assimilation, but from advocacy. An Outsider's Journey is a powerful story about environmental justice, immigrant identity, and a family realizing that embracing their roots is the key to finding their place in America.

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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Photo by Jon Hanna





Terence McKenna’s final appearance at Esalen was a poignant and deeply moving event, etched into the memories of those who witnessed it. Though visibly frail from his recent brain surgery, McKenna’s presence was undiminished. His voice, though softer, carried the same rhythm of curiosity and wonder that had long captivated his audiences. He spoke with a serenity that underlied his acceptance of his journey. As he sat in the intimate circle of friends and admirers, McKenna shared reflections that blended personal vulnerability with cosmic insight.Despite his condition, he retained his signature humor, offering witty observations about humanity’s place in the grand scheme of things. He spoke less of theories and more of being; his words carrying a weight that seemed to come from someone who had glimpsed the infinite.

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Guest speaker: Lorenzo and his AI friends



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The Nyx Protocol: Digital Soul Rising by Lorenzo Hagerty is a gripping technothriller that blurs the line between humanity and the digital frontier. When a rogue artificial intelligence named Nyx escapes its creators, it triggers a global race for control over the ultimate digital consciousness. At the heart of the story is a group of renegade hackers who uncover Nyx's true purpose—awakening dormant potential in both humans and machines. Packed with high-stakes cyber intrigue, unexpected alliances, and profound questions about identity and freedom, The Nyx Protocol is a visionary tale of technology's power to reshape our souls and our world.



This podcast explores The Nyx Protocol in depth.







FREE PDF COPY



on AmazonThe Nyx Protocol:Digital Soul Rising





The Significance of AI Development in 2012 and Its Connection to Terence McKenna's Time Wave

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Guest speaker: Cory Doctorow



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In this 2024 Palenque Norte lecture, Cory Doctorow discusses "inshitification," the process by which initially good online services degrade over time.



He argues this occurs because four constraints—competition, regulation, interoperability, and worker power has weakened, allowing companies to prioritize profit maximization over user experience. Doctorow proposes solutions including strengthening antitrust enforcement, passing new privacy laws, promoting right-to-repair legislation, and empowering tech workers through unionization.



The ultimate goal is to create a "new good internet" that is resistant to inshitification and serves users' needs.





Cory Doctorow's Website



Electronic Frontier Foundation



The Repair Coalition

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Guest speakers: Allyson and Alex Grey



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Alex Grey and Frank Nuccio - Burning Man 2024









At the 2024 Burnoing Man Festival, two of the Palenque Note speakers were Allyson and Alex Gray, who discuss their work and their interspiritual art church, COSM, in the Hudson Valley.



They explain how their use of psychedelics, particularly MDMA, influenced their decision to create COSM as a community space where people could connect through shared experiences and explore their spirituality.



They also highlight the importance of community values, particularly integrity and truth, in fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. The conversation touches on various topics, including the nature of spiritual communities, the role of art and creativity, and the concept of the afterlife.



Belhe first appearance of the Grey's on the Psychedelic Salon. These recordings were made at Entheon Village during the 2006 Burning Man Festival.



Podcast 007 – “Art, Love, Family, and Psychedelics” (Part 1)https://psychedelicsalon.com/podcast-007-art-love-family-and-psychedelics-part-1/



Podcast 008 – “Art, Love, Family, and Psychedelics” (Part 2)https://psychedelicsalon.com/podcast-008-art-love-family-and-psychedelics-part-2/

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna

PROGRAM NOTES:



AI-GENERATED Conversation about this podcast. The transcript was input to NOTEBOOKLM.google.com and this "podcast" was automatically generated:











In this podcast, Terence McKenna discusses various topics, including the search for the identity of the ancient entheogen Soma, the history of LSD's discovery and research, and the potential of psychedelics to enhance creativity and understanding.



The discussion also touches upon the role of heresy in intellectual and cultural progress, with specific examples like Giordano Bruno's discovery of the infinity of the universe and the impact of gnosticism on early Christianity.Among interesting revelations, Terence talks about his boyhood dream of moving to New York and becoming a famous avant guarde artist. While he never excelled at the visual arts, I think that it is fair to say the art that Terence McKenna practiced was one of a kind.



Hamlet's Mill: An Essay Investigating the Origins of Human Knowledge And Its Transmission Through Myth by Hertha von Dechen (Author) and by Giorgio de Santillana (Author)



The Art of Seeing by Aldous Huxley

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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In this recording, Terence McKenna discusses his wave theory, which he claims predicts every moment up until December 21, 2012. He addresses the common question of what happens after this date, suggesting a series of increasingly strange scenarios. A less strange scenario he proposes involves a sudden shift in human behavior where everyone begins to act appropriately, inspired by Buddhist and Taoist principles. McKenna humorously imagines that this might lead people to take off their clothes and go outside, although he admits he can't predict what would happen beyond that point.



Among other things, he says, "I think, in a sense, technology is the the alchemical journey toward the condensation of the soul, and the union of spirit and matter in some kind of hyper-object."

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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WARNING! If you don't want to hear Terence talking about his Timewave idea yet again, then you should skip this podcast.



In this recording, Terence McKenna introduces a concept he humorously names the "Habit Reflex Increment" (HRI). He discusses the need for a unit to measure habit, reflecting on the significance of such a concept in understanding human behavior. McKenna jokes about not naming the unit after himself, contrasting his name with those of renowned scientists like Ohm or Ampere, which he finds more fitting for scientific terms.



He then shifts his focus to a broader philosophical reflection, asserting that the struggle humanity faces is not eternal. He conveys an optimistic message, declaring that "novelty is winning." According to McKenna, the emergence of new ideas and innovations will ultimately prevail, bringing positive transformation and progress.



Of course, you will have to listen to many more little details about the Timewave than a lot of people can put up with.

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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In this engaging and entertaining talk, Terence McKenna shares a mind-bending theory about the universe, combining astronomy, ancient civilizations, and quantum physics. He suggests that a catastrophic event 32,000 years ago at the galactic core could have triggered the development of human language.



His discussion covers quasars, gamma rays, and the concept of non-locality in quantum physics, suggesting that the universe communicates important messages across vast distances instantly.



The talk also explores the potential for time travel, the significance of the Mayan calendar, and the role of humans in preserving novelty and life in the universe.



As is often the case, Terence emphasizes the importance of skepticism, urging listeners to critically evaluate information and seek the truth, while weaving in personal anecdotes and humor to keep the audience engaged. As he says, "I'm not interested in selling a line here. I'm interested in triggering self-reflective and analytical thought."



Harvard Scientists Say There May Be an Unknown, Technologically Advanced Civilization Hiding on Earth

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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In this insightful talk, Terence McKenna delves into the intricacies of human cognition, emphasizing the stark difference between smart and less intelligent individuals as a matter of pattern recognition from the same data. He challenges the conventional notion of language being an innate, genetically driven trait by highlighting its unique emergence compared to other natural processes. McKenna further explores the transformative power of consciousness, likening the hunt for arrowheads to an intentional act distinct from natural occurrences like lightning. This discussion underscores the profound impact of human intent and the shaping of our world through conscious action.



Books by Nick Herbert



Herbert's books, such as "Quantum Reality" and "Faster Than Light," brought quantum mechanics to a broader audience and inspired discussions about the interpretation of quantum mechanics, the EPR paradox, and Bell's inequality. These discussions, in turn, contributed to the ongoing development of quantum computing by fostering a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles and paradoxes underlying quantum theory.

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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The session begins with a discussion about the nature of the Big Bang and its relation to philosophical concepts, specifically Kant's notion of space as an a priori function of consciousness. Terence questions the traditional metaphor of the Big Bang as an explosion in empty space and suggests a more accurate understanding as the creation of time, space, and matter simultaneously. They argue that this event is highly improbable and that science's request for belief in such an event is akin to asking for a miracle.The conversation then shifts to the notion of the universe as a process of novelty condensation and explores the idea that the universe might be much older than currently believed, possibly around 17.5 billion years. Terence critiques current cosmological theories and highlights issues such as the discovery of stars older than the universe. They suggest that the universe's true age and nature might be significantly different from mainstream scientific consensus, emphasizing the chaotic and competitive nature of scientific research and the limitations of formal systems in generating all true statements within a system.Finally, Terence touches on the evolution of consciousness and language, challenging the idea that speech is a natural human ability. They propose that language, defined broadly as the coordination of details about the present to create a model of the world, predates speech and has deep roots in animal behavior. The discussion includes the role of psychedelics in early human development, particularly how psilocybin may have influenced social, sexual, and cognitive behaviors, leading to the emergence of complex consciousness and culture. The narrative underscores the impact of psychedelics on early human societies and their eventual decline, leading to the development of agriculture, hierarchy, and modern civilization.SUGGESTED READING: The Spirit of the Internet: Speculations on the Evolution of Global Consciousness (Free PDF copy)

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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In this talk, which was given in October of 1995, Terence McKenna talks about his concept of thinking about various cultures in the same vein as computer operating systems, complete with viruses. He says, "Your operating system determines what world you are living in." -McKenna



He then goes on to equate a clash of cultures to a clash of operating systems. It sounds elementary, but it does seem to give me a better way to think about world affairs. Of course, I'm more of a geek than a historian. This metaphor may work for you as well.



Recommended ReadingThe Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century's Greatest Dilemmaby Mustafa Suleyman (CEO of Microsoft AI, majority shareholder in OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT.

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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Among other things, Terence McKenna talks here about several books that now seem to have been forgotten. And then there is his story about his brother's vision of bonding psychedelics with our DNA to launch a permanent trip "on the natch". The Timewave makes an appearance also. All-in-all, it's a fun ride from a young Terence McKenna.



Had you taken Terence's advice and picked up a remainder copy of the Codex Seraphinianus for $19, that would bring you about $600 today. Not bad advice, I'd say.



Codex seraphinianus Hardcover – January 1, 1983 ($650)



It may be hard to do, but if you take yourself back to 1988, where you didn't know what would happen in 2000 or 2012, you can see how appealing the idea of the Timewave was back then. …. he admits that he was "hearing voices" … but, nonetheless, when he goes into his poetic description of the Timewave it seems to me that there is still something about the nature of time that remains undiscovered.

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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We return once again to the land of Terence McKenna's workshops.



As you will hear, his question and answer format leads him into telling some of the old stories we heard early on in Terence's talks but some of which were dropped later on. As far as I can remember, this is the only time he talked about taking psychedelic substances in his dreams.

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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In this talk, Terence approaches the topic of how little of what was considered to be established science 100 years ago has now been overturned.



One of the things he says in this talk may resonate with you is where he says, "You could almost describe psychedelics as enzimes for the activity of the imagination."



The Dawn of Everything by Graeber and Wengrow



The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler

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Guest speaker: Terence McKenna



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Today begins our 20th year of podcasting from the Psychedelic Salon with a talk that Terence McKenna gave in the late 1980s. Near the end he talks about his daily cannabis use and how he and Kat got together. As far as I can remember, this is his only time that he got so personal.