My friend Paul is a wizard. The first time I met him was right after a Merlin Sheldrake lecture in a church in Delft in the fall of 2022. The sweet synchronicity in the fact that we began our conversation as we waited in line to meet a man named Merlin is not lost on me. Merlin Sheldrake was touring his book Entangled Life and Paul was carrying his cherished copy of the book under his arm as he waited for a book signature by the author and, if I remember correctly, to ask him a particularly niche question about writing letters with ink from the Inky Cap mushroom.
The whole evening exuded a life-affirming energy, as if everyone in the reverberating room was in on a joyful secret. Perhaps it was the collective interest in mushrooms enthusiastically carried by the crowd. Listening to stories about the mind-bending interconnectedness of fungal networks in a church felt strangely appropriate to me. As if the sacred intention of a religious building is entirely congruent with the sacred intention of the natural world: To weave the tapestry that holds the mystery of life, and to continuously make room for its perpetual unfolding. A wellspring of spirited matter, or matters of spirit. The temple and the tree, rooted in the same soil.
Paul and I were introduced by our mutual friend, Frank. The mycorrhizal network of friends and loved ones joining forces through auspicious hugs and handshakes works like a miracle. As has been the case with all the serendipitous meetings that would significantly influence my life, it took me one second of looking Paul in the eye to sense: Hey! I know you!
After collaborating for a couple of years, sharing ideas, inspiration, mutual cheerleading, and lots of gratitude for being, I had the honor of ceremonially ushering Paul into wizardhood, in yet another church, on March 9th 2025. The ceiling of the incredible church at the artist conclave of Ruigoord spells the words: “Kosmies Lek.” That means: “Cosmic Leak.” And that’s exactly the place where Paul, supported by a crew of magical musicians, artists, and story tellers, officially launched Cosmosis Quests and became a wizard.
If you don’t know Paul’s work yet, it is my pleasure to introduce him to you. Paul created Cosmosis Quests, a platform that sends curious souls on Quests that deepen connection with their surroundings, the cosmos, and their own hearts. Paul is a multidisciplinary artist who creates immersive storytelling experiences. He is a passionate pathfinder towards a world where technology can be used to enhance our sense of presence, rather than distracting us from it. His inquisitive mind is always researching ritual, magic, story, language, animism; always zooming in on moss and lichen, trees and plants, and all other natural phenomena; always inquiring about the ways in which mind, spirit, and body serve as teachers on our journeys of individual and collective healing and expansion. To be even more alive. Even more real.
Paul’s mission is rooted in the practice of re-enchantment. He embodies the notion that being fully alive asks that we open our minds and hearts to magic. In his own words: “Magic is the practice of tinkering with your perception of reality.” Sometimes being more real means invoking the help of mythic archetypes and benevolent spirits. That’s exactly what Paul does in his Quests. In a culture that still pumps rationalist agendas into our collective consciousness; that still aligns with a worldview responsible for nearly murdering our imagination, our natural resources, and our connection to spirit; where the human experience is reduced to the bland texture of strict materialism, (as if chewing on spoonfuls of dry oatmeal with the stereo blasting: “this is reality, kids, eat up!”) it is a radical and courageous act to grab a magic wand, don a whimsical robe and hat, and proclaim: “I am a wizard.” Not to dissociate into fantasy – but quite the opposite – to jolt us back into a story that attunes us to a much wi(l)der and richer palette of experiences. To cast a spell that carries the type of spark that can re-enchant us into connection, care, and community.
Paul carries that spark, and he generously shares it with others. Every time I talk to him, I feel more alive and tuned-in as a result. He gave me permission to share something with you that will give you access to some of his magic. This is a link that will lead you to the place where you can download the Cosmosis Quests app. Once you have that installed on your phone, you will need a password to start the first Quest. This Quest takes you on a journey outdoors where you will meet the spirits of soil and stone to remember where you are and where came from. It actually feels a bit like publicly sharing a secret, but the password for the first Quest (and I really promise Paul said it was OK for me to give this to you) can be found in the footnotes of this writing.
There are ways to get the password for the second Quest as well, but you may have to find it on a Quest Card (pictured above) somewhere in the wild… Or be bold, and shoot Paul a message to pry it from his hands. He’s a kind wizard, so I suspect he will gladly give it to you. Do yourself a favor and carve out some time to go on a Quest with Paul as your guide. Hey, if you let him, his wizardly ways might just re-enchant your world!
- Paul’s website: here
- Cosmosis Quests app: here
Secret password 🔑 to the first Quest: ancientearth - Pictures of the Cosmosis Quests Launch at Ruigoord by Seraina Wams.
- Shout-out to Frank Bosma!
- More about Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life.
Get notified when we post something new by subscribing to Metaphysical Mulch here. Make sure to check your inbox to confirm your subscription!
Metaphysical Mulch 