Mysterious Universe

Fantastic interview with Michael Williams guys. I experienced a similar “big cat” sighting as a very young child (I was probably five or six when it happened, make it 1970 or 1971) living in rural Alabama in the US. It scared me, but as a kid it never actually seemed odd because I didn't have any background about why in the world panthers in the Southeaster US might be strange. It just seemed like “YIKES! BIG BLACK CAT! RUN HOME!”. Our house was about 100 yards away from a gravel road that backed up on a very wooded area of 40 acres of so that backed up on a lot of farmland and more wooded area. So hearing Michael's interview was fascinating and brought back that childhood memory. It doesn't invoke any fear in me now, mind you, more curiosity. The few times I have thought about it I really never thought about it being unusual, though, but I know that as a kid you don't have a set of filters in place in your mind about what you think is “normal” about the world that really align with the culture you live in (although it's certainly shaped by it) so my own thoughts about it have been that I either did see it or I saw something else (maybe a bobcat, which we do have in that area) and my mind and childhood imagination filled the gaps with television and movies and books (since I had certainly seen and read books with Disney's Jungle Book images).

thanks always for the support guys

Haha, I have to listen to each episode about five times to catch everything, because I listen to it while at work, surrounded by pallet jacks which grind against the floor, and then at home while I'm working on my own stuff so I get distracted. Great work, guys

I listen to it on the speakers at work sometimes, and my coworkers are amused by it. It's funny, though, how strangely closed minded they are. Every time alien abductions or phantom cats are mentioned, my boss goes “I want some of the drugs those guys are on.” Referring to the people with the experiences, not you. And whenever a cryptid begins to come up, one of my coworkers will shout “IT'S THE CHUPACABRA!” regardless of the context. I'm hoping gradual exposure will change their minds and make them open!

Hey Ben, I would love a music episode! May I request some new Autechre?

It'd be interesting to get Michael's opinion on those cattle attacks in Ecuador (cougar/big cat attack or no).

I love hearing different accents. How bland would the world be if everybody spoke with the same accent? I’ve always lived in the southern US (Arkansas and North Carolina), and a lot of us say “tuesdee”, “thursdee”, etc. That “ay” sound eases into an “ee” easily. “Reckon” is very informal, even “low class” in US English, but it seems to be normal in UK and Australian English. Keep speaking Australian! Everybody keep speaking in whatever idiosyncratic way you speak!
-Paul in NC

It would rarely increase activity – only in cases involving high-level malevolent entities, such as true demonics and the like. Generally speaking the worst it will do is nothing or an incomplete job, as some situations require heavier cleansing methods than just smudging alone (such as washing the floors and wiping down the walls with washes made from herbal infusions, burning specially prepared candles, saying appropriate prayers/chants, etc).

Intention and mind-set does certainly play a part, and can greatly strengthen the effect of a smudging. However, when appropriate herbs are used, the properties of the herbs themselves WILL have an effect, regardless of whether or not the user has the know-how to use more involved techniques.