Members Only: Secret Societies and Alchemy

🧙‍♂️✨👺 Join Paul and Stephen on a wild ride through forgotten lore, secret societies, and the mystical world of alchemy recorded live at Spotify Studios in Los Angeles! Our hosts join forces with special guest Jim Gavin, creator of Lodge 49 and novelist extraordinaire. The trio unravels the hidden links between the Masons and the Templars, delving into their evolution from Europe’s first bankers to whispered accusations of witchcraft and Satanism.  But that’s just the beginning! Jim sheds light on the two faces of alchemy—philosophical and chemical—guiding us through the quest for the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. Plus, meet Paracelsus, the eccentric Swiss wanderer who swapped cow dung for cleanliness in medicine and became a pioneer of modern hygiene. And if you think that’s wild, wait until you hear about the bizarre first step to creating life—using petrified sperm, a gourd, and a horse’s womb to make a homunculus! Curious? You should be. Chin-Word of the Week: ROSICRUCIANISM Paul Giamatti is a Golden Globe award winning actor and producer. Stephen Asma is a professor and author specializing in the philosophy of science, religion, and art.  🧙‍♂️✨👺 ========= Make sure to follow us @chinwagpod 👉🏼 IG: https://www.instagram.com/chinwagpod/ Tik: https://www.tiktok.com/@chinwagpod Website: http://chinwagpod.fm YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@chinwagpod Send your stories, Qs, or thoughts to 📧 questions [at] chinwagpod [dot] fm ========= Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Om Podcasten

chin-wag: to have a chat, a friendly conversation. Actor Paul Giamatti and Stephen Asma, author and philosopher, join forces for a freewheeling series of conversations that dive deep (like, really, really deep) into the wilderness of the mind. Featuring prominent guests from diverse fields, Chinwag is esoteric in the best way possible, as Paul and Stephen delve into anything and everything: Are we living in a simulation? What’s the most perfect sentence in literature? Is Bigfoot interdimensional? Science, the occult, philosophy, magic mushrooms… it’s all fair game! Unexpected, hilarious, and maybe even profound — Chinwag is all about having a really, really good chat. Send your stories, Qs, or thoughts to 📧 questions [at] chinwagpod [dot] fm ========= Make sure to follow us @chinwagpod 👉🏼 YT: https://www.youtube.com/@chinwagpod IG: https://www.instagram.com/chinwagpod/ Tik: https://www.tiktok.com/@chinwagpod Website: http://chinwagpod.fm =========