From the unexplained to the mundane, come join
us on a Journey to the Fringe. Hello and welcome
to Journey to the Fringe, where you learn all
sorts of niche -ly important info, like Chelsea,
this probably will never come up in an episode
outside of me stating it now, but if you're ever
up against a sentient robot, Don't aim for the
parts that would be important to a human. The
first thing that any sensible robot's gonna do,
it's going to move its most important parts to
its general area or its feet, because we will
never attack it there. So just like - Okay, that
makes sense. I don't - It's niche -ly important
information if it ever comes up. Like, are their
parts movable like that, do you think? Well,
no, they would build them that way. They wouldn't
just, like, let them move. It would be like,
no, the most important part of the robot's gonna
be the feet. because nobody's ever going to attack
the feet nobody unless they're misfiring yeah
or they know about it but in any event they're
going to have a severe advantage at that point
so you should know about it donate them at the
robot's head aim at the feet and the genitals
anyhow yeah enough about that this is a chelsea
episode which might have something to do with
it i doubt it though we are your podcast host
taylor and chelsea here today to talk about something
that was not that because again just overall
information everywhere I'm hoping that's actually
because I don't I don't think we can I don't
think we can talk for more than that amount of
time on this topic because it's just sensible
there's no arguing and that's giving Journey
to the Fringe listeners a distinct advantage
should be a robot war and Anyhow, have you ever
heard of an extraterrestrial commander named
Ashtar Sharan leading a galactic fleet to save
humanity from itself? Today, we're diving into
the fascinating and controversial world of the
Ashtar Space Command. I weirdly think I have
heard about this and I think it's YouTube videos
where they have like a very clearly like fake
voice retalking as the Ashtar command. I can't
remember anything about it. I can't remember
any specifics about it but I can like picture
the voice in my head from it. I know exactly
what you're thinking of and you're gonna figure
out where that voice came from. You didn't just
channel it. Okay. Well I'm excited to learn more.
Yeah, it's a movement that blends UFO lore, spiritualism,
and an apocalyptic prophecy or favorite. Whether
you're a skeptic, a believer, or just curious
about the strange corners of human belief, this
is your episode and Also, we talk about shooting
a robot in the feet, so there's that. Yeah, Chelsea,
have they been implicated in the assassination
of Hammerskilled by chance? Is that going to
come up? Now that you mention it, they cut it
out because I didn't want it to impede on the
previous episode, but they do. OK, that's fair.
They didn't want to turn over their record. That
makes sense. You want to appear powerful. They
did, yeah. So I actually didn't know that Ashtar
had a last name, Shiran, and we're going to talk
about the origins of the Ashtar Space Command,
who Ashtar is, and why this movement has captivated
so many people while also raising the eyebrows.
So we're going to start at the beginning. The
story of Ashtar begins in the early 1950s during
the golden age of UFO sightings and contactee
stories. At the center of it all was a man named
George Van Tassel. He's a real human. A former
aircraft mechanic who became one of the most
famous. I just wanted to make sure you know we've
been talking about a lot of Belgian names in
the 50s. George Van Tassel, he's a former aircraft
mechanic who became one of the most famous UFO
contactees of his time, even though we haven't
heard of him. Have you heard of him? Never heard
of him. Maybe he's famous to other people. Maybe
he's European famous. Van Tassel claimed that
in 1952, he began receiving telepathic messages
from an extraterrestrial being named Ashtar Sharan.
According to Van Tassel, Ashtar was the commander
of a vast galactic fleet known as the Ashtar
Galactic Command. Their mission? To prevent humanity
from destroying itself, specifically through
the misuse of nuclear weapons. Chelsea, I just
need a clarification on the wording there. They're
stopping us from the misuse of - weapons or they're
going to stop us through their misuse of weapons.
Good point. So far, I think that it's our misuse
of nuclear weapons. OK, because it could have
been interpreted either way with how you said
it there. It could have been. Yeah, it could
have been. It could be. It has been. It was conveyed
in the superior German, I'm sure. Originally.
Van Tassel's messages from Ashtar were urgent
and apocalyptic. In one of the earliest communications,
Ashtar warned that the detonation of the hydrogen
bomb could lead to the destruction of Earth.
He claimed that his fleet had entered the solar
system to intervene and protect humanity. It
was claimed that on July 18, 1952, Ashtar entered
the solar system as commander -in -chief of the
Ashtar Galactic Command to warn humanity of the
dangers of detonating the age bomb, including
the destruction of the planet. The messages stated
the space command was determined that humans
would not destroy the earth through the wrong
use of nuclear power and that the command was
helping the human race. Van Tassel also claimed
that Ashtar had provided specific messages that
he was expected to pass on to the US federal
government regarding the potential negative impacts
of the proposed upcoming bomb tests. After the
actual explosion of the H -bomb by the US and
Russian governments, the channeling claimed that
the space forces had assisted the planet to survive
the bomb tests. So who or what was Ashtar? Descriptions
of Ashtar often depict him as a humanoid with
blonde hair and European features, fitting into
the broader category of Nordic aliens that appear
in the UFO lore. Wait, sorry, I thought he was
channeled. Was he not? So he is this Galactic
Command. We're going to talk more about it. He's
channeled, but he seems to be a real dude. No
one's actually had an actual physical encounter
with him, I think. Yeah, and we're gonna get
more into it, but I don't think there's any actual
face -to -face encounters with him. Okay. I just
want to make sure, so this is all based on him
telling people what he looks like, then, correct?
Or does he - Yes. Okay. From what I believe.
Let's just read it and see if we're led to believe
anything else, but I think that's my idea of
him. I've never heard of an alien race that is,
like, African -like. Why are they always, like,
if they're humanoid, their blue eyes, blonde
hair? Because a lot of the stuff comes from like
the 50s and 60s and is probably racist. Yeah,
I think it was very nice of you to say probably.
So European features fitting into the broader
category of Nordic aliens that appear in UFO
lore. These beings are often described as benevolent,
highly advanced, and deeply concerned with humanity's
spiritual and technological evolution. Van Tassel's
claims gained traction quickly, especially after
he founded the Ministry of Universal Wisdom and
began hosting weekly channeling sessions at Giant
Rock, a massive boulder in the Mojave Desert
that became a hub for UFO enthusiasts. These
gatherings eventually grew into the annual Giant
Rock Spacecraft Convention, which drew thousands
of people in the 1950s and 1960s. But Van Tassel
wasn't the only one claiming contact with Ashtar.
Soon, dozens of other channelers began receiving
messages from the Galactic Commander, each with
their own interpretations and prophecies. This
led to a fascinating and sometimes chaotic evolution
of the Ashtar mythos. These messages often emphasize
themes of peace, love, and spiritual awakening.
They also sometimes include warnings about the
consequences of humanity's actions such as environmental
destruction or warfare that we've brought up
quite a few times at this point. So Chelsea,
when he's channeled is it always at Standing
Rock for a long time? No. Okay. This is kind
of where it starts. Okay, so I'm gonna move on
from here to the Ashtar command and through these
channeling sessions We learn about the Ashtar
command Robert Short aka Bill Rose was editor
of the 1950s UFO magazine called the Interplanetary
News Digest and was a member of Van Tassel's
group channeling at Big Rock, the ending rock?
Whatever rock, yeah. I might as well rock. Giant
rock. and he began to popularize the messages
through this publication, but as Van Tassel did
not agree that other Ashtar messages were authentic,
Short broke away and began his own group called
the Ashtar Command. By the mid -1950s, we learn
of this concept of a collective of advanced extraterrestrial
beings who are dedicated to guiding and protecting
Earth and its inhabitants. A galactic law enforcement
agency. Yes, it goes beyond the Earth that we
would have organizations with this. They're galactic.
Of course, the same system would continue on
outside of Earth. That's fair. It's a Galactic
UN, then. I'm glad we just finished up with that
UN episode, then. It is, essentially. Ashtar
is said to refer to a being who serves as the
commander of Ashtar Space Command, named after
Ashtar. Very important person. And it's the leader
within the group, hence the Ashtar Space Command,
obviously. I can't think they're that peaceful
if they're named after their leader, which in
my mind connotes a dictatorship. Doesn't it?
The Ashtar command is often depicted as having
a vast fleet of spacecraft, including motherships
and smaller scout ships. These vessels are said
to be stationed around Earth and other parts
of the solar system. Their mission? is often
described as having to assist humanity in its
spiritual evolution and prevent catastrophic
events such as nuclear war or environmental collapse
not doing a good job of it right now they are
said to be working behind the scenes to help
humanity transition to a higher state of consciousness
yeah they're doing a real shitty job since the
50s oh yeah so shitty we're gonna talk now about
the evolution of the Ashtar movement and like
where it's going from here. As the Ashtar movement
grew it began to shift from a focus on extraterrestrial
intervention to a more spiritual and religious
framework. This transformation was influenced
by earlier esoteric traditions like theosophy
and the I Am movement which taught about ascended
masters enlightened beings who guide humanity's
spiritual evolution. We've talked about Theosophy
with Madame Blavatsky. HPB. In this new context,
Ashtar Sharan became less of a space commander
and more of an ascended master, a divine figure
offering wisdom and guidance to humanity. The
Ashtar command was no longer just a fleet of
spaceships, it was a cosmic force working to
elevate human consciousness. And I'm finding
it really funny the evolution of where this is
going because it's kind of going with whatever
is kind of popular at the time. It went from
like the nut and bolt UFO. Now it's becoming
like a spiritual type of movement kind of evolving
with it. Well, Ashtar, I guess, has to do that.
By the way, does he mention how long he's going
to live? Forever, probably. OK. He's an immortal
dictator. Gotcha. You know, I didn't actually
read any of the channels. OK. But it's been a
good thing to put in here. But here we are recording.
So, not everything went smoothly. The movement
was plagued by failed prophecies, for example.
In the 1980s, a channeler named Yvonne Cole predicted
that Earth's civilizations would be destroyed
in 1994, followed by the arrival of alien creatures.
When this didn't happen, it dealt a blow to the
movement's credibility. Similarly, early predictions
about flourishing civilizations on other planets
and imminent UFO landings also failed to materialize.
These setbacks forced the Ashtar Command to adapt.
By the 1990s, the focus had shifted away from
physical UFOs and towards spiritual ascension.
The idea of being beamed up to a spaceship was
replaced by meditative practices aimed at raising
one's vibrational frequency. One of the most
intriguing developments during this time was
the Pioneer Voyage meditations in 1994. And that's
where followers claim that their consciousness
was transported to the ships of light. Oh no,
I know where this is going. Where they experienced
profound spiritual transformations. While these
experiences were purely subjective, they helped
to keep the movement alive during a time of skepticism
and doubt. This is purely a meditative thing
that lasted a couple minutes and people relayed
experiences where they were on board the ship
getting tours and doing different things for
hours. Oh, okay good. I was worried it was that
cult around the comet in the mid -90s. They all
committed suicide. I forget what it's called.
that would make a good episode yeah they still
have a website it's really weird that's a great
segue to my next segment which is the cultural
and religious impact of the ashtar command Despite
its controversies, the Ashtar command had a significant
cultural and religious impact. It's often cited
as one of the most prominent examples of a UFO
religion, a belief system that combines extraterrestrial
contact with spiritual teachings. One of the
most fascinating examples of this is the Czech
group known as the Universe People. They venerate
Ashtar Sharan alongside figures like Jesus and
Krishna. blending UFO mythology with traditional
religious iconography. Their website even uses
the domain name Ashtar Sharan, highlighting the
central role Ashtar plays in their beliefs. The
Ashtar Command has also made its mark on popular
culture. In 1977, a mysterious voice claiming
to be Vrillon of the Ashtar Galactic Command
interrupted a television broadcast in southern
England. The voice delivered a message of peace
and warned humanity to change its ways. While
it was later revealed to be a hoax, the incident
captured the public's imagination and remains
a memorable moment in UFO lore. Even if you can't
exactly remember where you heard it. Okay. But
you actually did, Taylor. I knew it. This is
what you're thinking. Yeah. Yeah. You can hear
the voice, right? I'm surprised to hear your
voice to be frank. Academics have studied the
Aztar command as a modern mythology or even a
cargo cult. I don't even know what that is. Oh,
here it is. A belief system. Go ahead. You got
the answer there. It's just basically when the
U .S. was dropping food supplies off on the islands
in the South Pacific during World War II, they
began being worshipped by the locals as gods
because they were just dropping sustenance from
the sky. Cargo. The food they were dropping.
Cargo cult. A cult of the dropped food. Yeah.
Okay, that makes sense. A belief system that
blends spiritual ascension with the promise of
advanced alien technology. Some scholars argue
that the movement reflects humanity's hopes and
fears in an age of rapid technological change
and environmental uncertainty. Let's talk about
debates and controversies. Of course, the Ashtar
command isn't without its critics. Skeptics point
to the lack of physical evidence for Ashtar or
his galactic fleet. They argue that the movement's
reliance on channel messages makes it vulnerable
to fraud and manipulation. I thought that would
just give it strength. Yeah, hard to believe,
right? And it's here that we learn about how
they won't release their documents regarding
the incident and assassination. But to be fair,
has anyone asked them for them? to do with the
Congo. OK, OK. People have they won't release
them. They said they have some stuff, but it's
probably not them. conflicting messages from
different channelers have also raised questions
about the movement's credibility with no central
authority to verify the authenticity of these
communications it's hard to separate genuine
insights from wishful thinking or even deliberate
deception which is worded very nicely yeah yeah
there's there's that for sure and then there
are the failed prophecies Failed or just haven't
happened yet? Probably. From the 1952 warning
about the hydrogen bomb to the 1994 prediction
of an alien apocalypse, the Ashtar Command's
track record hasn't been great. These failures
have forced the movement to adapt, shifting its
focus from physical UFOs to spiritual ascension.
And it perseveres, you see. Moving. It's goalpost.
But despite these challenges, the Ashtar Command
continues to attract followers. For many, the
movement offers a sense of hope and purpose in
a chaotic world. Whether or not you believe in
Ashtar Sharan, there's no denying the power of
his story. What are we to make of the Ashtar
Space Command and its enigmatic leader, Ashtar
Sharan? Is he a real extraterrestrial being,
a modern myth, or a reflection of humanity's
deepest hopes and fears? You know, there's a
little of that in all of us. Reflecting that
in what we believe. The truth is we may never
know for sure about Ashtar. But what we can say
is that the Ashtar Command represents a fascinating
intersection of science fiction, spirituality,
and human imagination. And it's a reminder that
in our search for meaning, we're often drawn
to stories that transcend the ordinary and port
towards something greater. This reminds me a
lot of Patah, but it seems like there's more
than one person at least at the top, which makes
it less culty. Well... Spoiler alert we're going
to look in the future at Nordic beings and Ptah
is a part of that general Yeah Species is that
what we call alien race? He's included in that
Species because yeah race would imply they're
all together, right? He's included in that race
the one our man his cult I can never remember
his name Ptah I can but I don't know why I can
never remember his freaking name, but he comes
up with the Norgics, which is where this episode
was born, actually. So yeah, what do you think
of Ashtar and his command? I mean, that voice
is going to live on in infamy in my mind for
a while now. And again, when I re -hear this
episode. But yeah, this is brilliant. Yeah, I
always like a prediction that doesn't come true
when they just double down on it over and over
and over again. Oh yeah, big fan of those predictions.
Especially these things where there's literally
nothing to back up anything other than somebody
saying, no this guy talked to me while nobody
else was around and told me this. It leads to
fun interactions. I mean, it could have even
been people around and he could have just been
sitting there meditating and nobody heard it.
Yeah, or just sitting there and wasn't involved
in a conversation and he wanted to get involved
in it so he needed a good, like, spark. And he
says, oh hey, AshCharkaman just talked to me.
Well, you guys were completely ignoring me. Not
that big a deal. He told me you guys suck. And
she shut the fuck up. And the world's gonna end
because you ignored me. Not me. It was Ashtar.
Yeah, not me. It was Ashtar in, like, Space Command.
And the Galactic fucking Federation said it.
And you know what? That would make a lot of sense
if they were told that right around the time
of the H -bomb by somebody who was being ignored.
Anyhow, that's the Ashtar Space Command. It's
a short and sweet episode today, I guess. I like
it. I thought it'd be longer, but... That'd be
fun. Yeah. Come on! Thank you for listening to
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