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 Journey to the Fringe. If you have liked what you have listened to, please like, share, subscribe, or follow, depending on what. venue you are listening
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