The Paracast Newsletter
March 30, 2025
www.theparacast.com
The Inside Story of Elvis Presley's Many Paranormal Pursuits and His UFO Sightings Revealed By Miguel Conner on The Paracast!
The Paracast is released every Sunday and available from our site, https://www.theparacast.com, your favorite podcast app, and the IRN Internet Radio Network. All episodes from 2022 and later now feature better audio and fewer ads. We are also re-releasing some of our most popular classic episodes.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP FOR THE PARACAST+ YET? PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PARACAST+ SO YOU CAN SUPPORT THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE ULTIMATE PARACAST EXPERIENCE AT A SPECIAL LOW PRICE! We have another radio show and we’d love for you listen to it. So for a low subscription fee, you will receive access to an exclusive bonus podcast, After The Paracast, plus a special version of The Paracast with all the ads removed, when you join The Paracast+. We also offer a special RSS feed for easy updates of the latest episodes on your device. Episodes for subscribers to The Paracast+ are now released 24 hours earlier. Flash! Take advantage of our lowest rates ever! Act now! It's easier than ever to susbcribe! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode: The rags to riches journey of Elvis Presley, the “king” of rock and roll, is well known. In a special interview with Gene and guest cohost Hercules Invictus, Miguel Conner, author of “The Occult Elvis: The Mystical and Magical Life of the King,” reveals details that are not well known, how Elvis was a profound mystic, occultist, and shaman. Beginning with the unusual circumstances of his birth — and his stillborn twin brother — Conner traces the diverse thread of mysticism that runs through Presley’s life, drawing on firsthand accounts from the people closest to him, including his wife, Priscilla, the Memphis Mafia, and his spiritual advisors. He argues that Elvis was well-versed in the esoteric practices of sex magic, meditation, astrology, and numerology and had a deep familiarity with Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Theosophy, and Eastern traditions. And he also reveals how Elvis was a natural healer, telekinetic, psychic, and astral traveler who had significant mystical experiences and UFO encounters. Connor also looks at the conspiratorial and paranormal aspects of Elvis’s life. And what about the influence of a magical comic book super hero in the look of Elvis' famous costume that he wore during his live performances? Connor's website: Welcome to My World.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively to Paracast+ subscribers on March 29: Learn about Elvis Presley’s paranormal pursuits with Miguel Conner, author of “The Occult Elvis: The Mystical and Magical Life of the King.” Speaking with Gene and guest cohost Hercules Invictus, Conner reveals some details about an incident that was not suited to family-friendly radio and thus not mentioned on the main show. He also talks about Elvis’ many mystical influences, and even about his meeting with President Nixon, where he received an honorary law enforcement badge. His occult views are compared with an artist born on the same day and month, David Bowie, who was also heavily involved in mysticism. Looking at the conspiratorial and paranormal aspects of Elvis’s life, Conner explores the “Elvis visitations” that have occurred since the King’s death and the general high weirdness of his life. As Conner convincingly argues, Elvis was not just a one-of-a-kind rock-and-roller. He was the greatest magician America ever produced. Conner is a writer, voice-over artist, and host of the popular podcast Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. His books include “Voices of Gnosticism,” “Stargazer,” “Heretic,” and “The Executioner’s Daughter.” He lives in northern Illinois. His website is: Welcome to My World.
Reminder: Please don't forget to visit our famous Paracast Community Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal: The Paracast Community Forums. And look for @theparacast on Bluesky Social, Facebook, Threads and X.
The Knowing
By Joe Kistner
The fact that you've found this little essay tells me that we probably have something in common. In one way or another, you're fascinated by the unknown. And there's a good chance that, much like myself, that fascination started at a very young age. I suppose it's natural — after all, what kid hasn't played house, cops and robbers, or gone on an imaginary safari?
My biggest problem growing up was that I could never leave my imagination in the backyard. It followed me to bed at night and into the classroom. Parent-teacher conferences always gave me an upset stomach, dreading what my teachers would relay to my mom behind that closed door. Most of the time, it was something along the lines of, “Joseph doesn’t pay attention, and he isn’t reaching his full potential.” And you know, no matter how much your parents love you, that equates to lazy.
Daydreaming was my biggest hindrance — yet, at the same time, my best friend. It wasn’t laziness; it was a way to escape, for lack of a better word, boredom. I’m sure that in today’s world, the need to escape the mundane at nine years old would earn me a diagnosis and medication.
That escape was driven by a natural knowing — an innate sense that there was much more to the world than social expectations and routines. The only time I could let that knowing fully manifest was during summer vacation. Summers were still packed with swimming lessons and the local library's summer reading program, but there was a window of time — between the end of Little League and the county fair — when my time was my own.
The activities of those days depended on the kids I was with. If I ran into the teacher’s kids, the afternoon involved catching snakes and making soda-can tennis ball cannons. But the best days were spent with my cousin. We shared daydreams, spending entire afternoons walking from one end of town to the other, exploring alleyways, abandoned buildings, and the dark spaces in between. At least once a week, we’d visit the city cemetery.
Cemeteries are filled with mysteries — each marker a story of its own. There was the infamous rotating headstone, known among my peers as the vampire grave. It always seemed to be in the same position on every visit, yet a massive tree grew directly over the interred. We discovered gravestones marking families who had lost several children in quick succession, young people buried behind family plots, and a small, flat stone with “Wm. S.” crudely etched into it.
One afternoon, we found a raised, covered manhole in a meadow at the edge of town. Convinced it was the entrance to some long-forgotten government bunker, we spent days trying to lift the cover. When we finally pried it open, I learned a harsh truth — the cavernous storm sewers of the movies do not exist in small towns. These sewers were so narrow, even the smallest alligator would have struggled to navigate them.
That wanderlust-filled childhood eventually gave way to teenage years filled with summer jobs, a driver’s license, girls, movies, and keg parties. Those days soon turned into full-time jobs, bills, and the responsibilities of raising a family. The daydreams faded, replaced by the reality of manufacturing the dreams of someone else.
And then, on some nondescript evening, while tucking the kids into bed, I found myself recounting stories of those childhood summers. Walking out of their room, I felt that old knowing creeping back in—accompanied by a faint echo of Shakespeare:
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
What do you do when that feeling resurfaces? You’re an adult, with all the freedoms you once yearned for — along with the obligations you never considered. Today, there are countless television programs, podcasts, and books covering every subject imaginable, yet even the best of them only serve as fuel for more daydreams.
For me, the only way to satisfy that knowing was to, in an overused phrase, put boots on the ground. A quick glance at my checkbook told me those boots would need to tread fairly close to home. Every community has its own local lore. In mine, it was Crazy Annie’s Bridge.
The legend went that newly widowed Annie drowned her three children before hanging herself from a lonely bridge on a secluded gravel road. The classroom version of the story was that if you visited the bridge at midnight, turned off your car, and sat in the silence, you would hear Annie’s eerie cackle. Some claimed their cars wouldn’t start again until they pushed them off the bridge. Others swore they saw handprints appear on their fogged-up windows.
Easy enough to research and test, right?
Well, there was no widowed Annie. No drowned children. My car started without issue. As for the cackling — I’m still not sure about that.
It was just a simple story, but that night inspired me to search for more.
Fueled by that curiosity, I packed up the kids and took a day trip to Blue Mounds State Park, outside of Luverne, Minnesota, to see an ancient wall. On the same trip, we found the grave of Fr. Francis Sampson — the “Parachuting Padre”, whose story inspired the Tom Hanks character in “Saving Private Ryan.” We explored Devil’s Gulch, where Jesse James supposedly made his legendary escape of a pursing posse. We visited the site of the Gitchie Manitou murders and found the grave of Mary Jane — immortalized in the Megadeth song. All of those things in one daytrip.
I could go on, listing countless other people, places, and events discovered within a single tank of gas from home.
So, when that knowing hits you — whether while watching a show, reading a book, or listening to The Paracast or another podcast — don’t ignore it. Get off the couch. Put on your boots. Because your greatest adventure is waiting for you, right outside your back door.
Joe Kistner is an author and host of the Shadows of the Midwest podcast, and describes himself as a public servant, writer, dad, legend hunter, and a proud distinguished ruffian. Currently, Joe is working on the book "Minnesota Legend Hunters: A Travelogue," which he hopes will be released in the summer of 2025. He describes the book as compiling and investigating the strange and unusual people, places, things, and events around Minnesota.
Copyright 1999-2025 The Paracast Company. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!
March 30, 2025
www.theparacast.com
The Inside Story of Elvis Presley's Many Paranormal Pursuits and His UFO Sightings Revealed By Miguel Conner on The Paracast!
The Paracast is released every Sunday and available from our site, https://www.theparacast.com, your favorite podcast app, and the IRN Internet Radio Network. All episodes from 2022 and later now feature better audio and fewer ads. We are also re-releasing some of our most popular classic episodes.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP FOR THE PARACAST+ YET? PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PARACAST+ SO YOU CAN SUPPORT THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE ULTIMATE PARACAST EXPERIENCE AT A SPECIAL LOW PRICE! We have another radio show and we’d love for you listen to it. So for a low subscription fee, you will receive access to an exclusive bonus podcast, After The Paracast, plus a special version of The Paracast with all the ads removed, when you join The Paracast+. We also offer a special RSS feed for easy updates of the latest episodes on your device. Episodes for subscribers to The Paracast+ are now released 24 hours earlier. Flash! Take advantage of our lowest rates ever! Act now! It's easier than ever to susbcribe! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode: The rags to riches journey of Elvis Presley, the “king” of rock and roll, is well known. In a special interview with Gene and guest cohost Hercules Invictus, Miguel Conner, author of “The Occult Elvis: The Mystical and Magical Life of the King,” reveals details that are not well known, how Elvis was a profound mystic, occultist, and shaman. Beginning with the unusual circumstances of his birth — and his stillborn twin brother — Conner traces the diverse thread of mysticism that runs through Presley’s life, drawing on firsthand accounts from the people closest to him, including his wife, Priscilla, the Memphis Mafia, and his spiritual advisors. He argues that Elvis was well-versed in the esoteric practices of sex magic, meditation, astrology, and numerology and had a deep familiarity with Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Theosophy, and Eastern traditions. And he also reveals how Elvis was a natural healer, telekinetic, psychic, and astral traveler who had significant mystical experiences and UFO encounters. Connor also looks at the conspiratorial and paranormal aspects of Elvis’s life. And what about the influence of a magical comic book super hero in the look of Elvis' famous costume that he wore during his live performances? Connor's website: Welcome to My World.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively to Paracast+ subscribers on March 29: Learn about Elvis Presley’s paranormal pursuits with Miguel Conner, author of “The Occult Elvis: The Mystical and Magical Life of the King.” Speaking with Gene and guest cohost Hercules Invictus, Conner reveals some details about an incident that was not suited to family-friendly radio and thus not mentioned on the main show. He also talks about Elvis’ many mystical influences, and even about his meeting with President Nixon, where he received an honorary law enforcement badge. His occult views are compared with an artist born on the same day and month, David Bowie, who was also heavily involved in mysticism. Looking at the conspiratorial and paranormal aspects of Elvis’s life, Conner explores the “Elvis visitations” that have occurred since the King’s death and the general high weirdness of his life. As Conner convincingly argues, Elvis was not just a one-of-a-kind rock-and-roller. He was the greatest magician America ever produced. Conner is a writer, voice-over artist, and host of the popular podcast Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. His books include “Voices of Gnosticism,” “Stargazer,” “Heretic,” and “The Executioner’s Daughter.” He lives in northern Illinois. His website is: Welcome to My World.
Reminder: Please don't forget to visit our famous Paracast Community Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal: The Paracast Community Forums. And look for @theparacast on Bluesky Social, Facebook, Threads and X.
The Knowing
By Joe Kistner
The fact that you've found this little essay tells me that we probably have something in common. In one way or another, you're fascinated by the unknown. And there's a good chance that, much like myself, that fascination started at a very young age. I suppose it's natural — after all, what kid hasn't played house, cops and robbers, or gone on an imaginary safari?
My biggest problem growing up was that I could never leave my imagination in the backyard. It followed me to bed at night and into the classroom. Parent-teacher conferences always gave me an upset stomach, dreading what my teachers would relay to my mom behind that closed door. Most of the time, it was something along the lines of, “Joseph doesn’t pay attention, and he isn’t reaching his full potential.” And you know, no matter how much your parents love you, that equates to lazy.
Daydreaming was my biggest hindrance — yet, at the same time, my best friend. It wasn’t laziness; it was a way to escape, for lack of a better word, boredom. I’m sure that in today’s world, the need to escape the mundane at nine years old would earn me a diagnosis and medication.
That escape was driven by a natural knowing — an innate sense that there was much more to the world than social expectations and routines. The only time I could let that knowing fully manifest was during summer vacation. Summers were still packed with swimming lessons and the local library's summer reading program, but there was a window of time — between the end of Little League and the county fair — when my time was my own.
The activities of those days depended on the kids I was with. If I ran into the teacher’s kids, the afternoon involved catching snakes and making soda-can tennis ball cannons. But the best days were spent with my cousin. We shared daydreams, spending entire afternoons walking from one end of town to the other, exploring alleyways, abandoned buildings, and the dark spaces in between. At least once a week, we’d visit the city cemetery.
Cemeteries are filled with mysteries — each marker a story of its own. There was the infamous rotating headstone, known among my peers as the vampire grave. It always seemed to be in the same position on every visit, yet a massive tree grew directly over the interred. We discovered gravestones marking families who had lost several children in quick succession, young people buried behind family plots, and a small, flat stone with “Wm. S.” crudely etched into it.
One afternoon, we found a raised, covered manhole in a meadow at the edge of town. Convinced it was the entrance to some long-forgotten government bunker, we spent days trying to lift the cover. When we finally pried it open, I learned a harsh truth — the cavernous storm sewers of the movies do not exist in small towns. These sewers were so narrow, even the smallest alligator would have struggled to navigate them.
That wanderlust-filled childhood eventually gave way to teenage years filled with summer jobs, a driver’s license, girls, movies, and keg parties. Those days soon turned into full-time jobs, bills, and the responsibilities of raising a family. The daydreams faded, replaced by the reality of manufacturing the dreams of someone else.
And then, on some nondescript evening, while tucking the kids into bed, I found myself recounting stories of those childhood summers. Walking out of their room, I felt that old knowing creeping back in—accompanied by a faint echo of Shakespeare:
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
What do you do when that feeling resurfaces? You’re an adult, with all the freedoms you once yearned for — along with the obligations you never considered. Today, there are countless television programs, podcasts, and books covering every subject imaginable, yet even the best of them only serve as fuel for more daydreams.
For me, the only way to satisfy that knowing was to, in an overused phrase, put boots on the ground. A quick glance at my checkbook told me those boots would need to tread fairly close to home. Every community has its own local lore. In mine, it was Crazy Annie’s Bridge.
The legend went that newly widowed Annie drowned her three children before hanging herself from a lonely bridge on a secluded gravel road. The classroom version of the story was that if you visited the bridge at midnight, turned off your car, and sat in the silence, you would hear Annie’s eerie cackle. Some claimed their cars wouldn’t start again until they pushed them off the bridge. Others swore they saw handprints appear on their fogged-up windows.
Easy enough to research and test, right?
Well, there was no widowed Annie. No drowned children. My car started without issue. As for the cackling — I’m still not sure about that.
It was just a simple story, but that night inspired me to search for more.
Fueled by that curiosity, I packed up the kids and took a day trip to Blue Mounds State Park, outside of Luverne, Minnesota, to see an ancient wall. On the same trip, we found the grave of Fr. Francis Sampson — the “Parachuting Padre”, whose story inspired the Tom Hanks character in “Saving Private Ryan.” We explored Devil’s Gulch, where Jesse James supposedly made his legendary escape of a pursing posse. We visited the site of the Gitchie Manitou murders and found the grave of Mary Jane — immortalized in the Megadeth song. All of those things in one daytrip.
I could go on, listing countless other people, places, and events discovered within a single tank of gas from home.
So, when that knowing hits you — whether while watching a show, reading a book, or listening to The Paracast or another podcast — don’t ignore it. Get off the couch. Put on your boots. Because your greatest adventure is waiting for you, right outside your back door.
• • •
Joe Kistner is an author and host of the Shadows of the Midwest podcast, and describes himself as a public servant, writer, dad, legend hunter, and a proud distinguished ruffian. Currently, Joe is working on the book "Minnesota Legend Hunters: A Travelogue," which he hopes will be released in the summer of 2025. He describes the book as compiling and investigating the strange and unusual people, places, things, and events around Minnesota.
Copyright 1999-2025 The Paracast Company. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!