In this episode of Front Porch Radio, we're diving deep into some of the most complex and quite frankly, unnerving currents shaping our world today. This fascinating conversation with author Gary Lachman about the Power of Positive Thinking in politics and it's not-so-positive implications for many people. This interview provides a deep dive into the unseen forces and esoteric currents that Lachman reveals may be shaping our tumultuous political landscape.
In this conversation, you’ll be introduced to a sample of Lachman’s scholarly exploration of the connections between the occult, spirituality, and the rise of political figures like Donald Trump. He connects the influence of Mental Science & New Thought philosophies like the Power of Positive Thinking and the seemingly chaos magick that informs Trump's approach to crafting reality as a master bullshitter who doesn’t care if you know he’s lying or not. He lays out how social media subcultures, memes like Pepe the Frog, and pop culture synchronicities may have emboldened a collective effort to influence political outcomes through positive thinking.
We also get to a bit of Lachman's personal journey from being a musician in Blondie to becoming an author and researcher of the occult and his upcoming memoir, Touched By The Presence, which will be published by Inner Traditions in late 2025.
About Gary Lachman
Gary Lachman is the author of several books about consciousness, culture, and the Western esoteric tradition, including Dreaming Ahead of Time, The Return of Holy Russia, Dark Star Rising: Magick and Power in the Age of Trump, Lost Knowledge of the Imagination, Beyond the Robot: The Life and Work of Colin Wilson, and, most recently, Maurice Nicoll: Forgotten Teacher of the Fourth Way. He has written biographies of C G Jung, Madame Blavatsky, Rudolf Steiner, Emanuel Swedenborg, P D Ouspensky, and Aleister Crowley. He writes for several journals in the US, UK, and Europe, lectures around the world and his work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. In a former life he was a founding member of the pop group Blondie and in 2006 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Before moving to London in 1996 and becoming a full time writer, Lachman studied philosophy, managed a metaphysical book shop, taught English literature, and was Science Writer for UCLA. He is an adjunct professor of Transformative Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies. His memoir, Touched By The Presence, will be published by Inner Traditions late 2025.
Connect with Gary Lachman: Website, Facebook, Twitter
Discover Gary Lachman’s Essential Books on Bookshop
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