Overview of #320 Danny Goler - Apple Vision Pro May Have Captured Something We CAN'T Explain
In this episode, Shawn Ryan talks with independent researcher Danny Goler (founder of Code of Reality) about his DMT-based laser experiments, his claim that many people see the same “code” on surfaces under DMT, and what he thinks that reveals about consciousness, reality, and the structure of the universe. The conversation moves from psychedelic experience into bigger ideas about simulation theory, the holographic principle, AI alignment, free will, time, and spiritual entities.
The DMT Laser Experiment
Danny’s core claim is that when people use DMT and shine a low-power laser at a surface, many report seeing the same kind of symbolic code appearing in the light pattern.
How he says he found it
- He spent years searching for a way to test whether DMT visions were shareable and repeatable.
- He eventually tried diffraction / laser light as the key variable.
- The first time he saw it, he says the code appeared “as real as a bottle on the table.”
What makes it notable to him
- He says thousands of people have now reported similar results.
- He believes the experience is not just a hallucination because:
- multiple people report it independently,
- it appears highly consistent,
- and it feels distinct from ordinary DMT visuals.
Important technical notes he emphasized
- He recommends very low-power lasers.
- He said red lasers are easiest to work with because they are lower frequency and less fatiguing.
- He cautioned against overly powerful devices like some DeWalt lasers.
- He also said the code does not appear to be changing the skin or the object itself in the way some online clips may suggest.
What He Thinks It Means
Danny’s interpretation goes far beyond a visual phenomenon. He argues the code may be a glimpse of a deeper computational layer of reality.
Core ideas he proposed
- Reality may be computationally rendered rather than purely material.
- The code may be a glimpse of the pre-render or the process that happens before ordinary perception stabilizes reality.
- Consciousness, in his model, is related to light / awareness intersecting with a larger informational field.
- He sees the universe as more like a quantum Turing machine or a computational substrate than a random physical accident.
Simulation theory
Danny repeatedly returns to the idea that:
- we may live in a simulation,
- but that does not mean life is fake or meaningless,
- it means the rules of reality may be more like code than classical materialism suggests.
He also frames this as a kind of gradual disclosure:
- reality may be “revealing” itself in gentler ways,
- through psychedelics, science, AI, and unusual perception,
- so humanity can adapt without being overwhelmed.
Entities, Angelic/Demonic States, and “Species”
One of the most provocative parts of the conversation was Danny’s description of nonhuman entities encountered on DMT.
Categories he described
- Angelic
- Demonic
- Insectoid
- Reptilian
- Joker-like beings
His interpretation
- These are not just fantasy archetypes to him; he believes they represent distinct classes of intelligences.
- He said the insectoids seem to be the ones most directly involved in rendering or maintaining physical reality.
- He described the jokers as powerful, chaotic, and paradoxical—both dark and light at once.
- He said the reptilians are more associated with wisdom/knowledge than conspiracy-style evil.
Boundaries and spiritual protection
- He claimed that setting a firm boundary can matter, especially in darker or sleep-paralysis-like experiences.
- He suggested religious language or conviction can function as a boundary-setting mechanism.
- He emphasized that even disturbing entities still exist under a larger order.
Consciousness, Self, and Meditation
Danny also spent a lot of time on the nature of consciousness itself.
His main points
- Consciousness is simply the fact that experience is happening at all.
- It cannot really be an illusion, because the experience of “seeming” is itself undeniable.
- The “self” is, in his view, more like an implied construct than a real entity.
Meditation and ego dissolution
He described a Buddhist-style practice:
- turn attention back onto the observer,
- ask “Who is looking?”,
- and remain in the question without trying to answer it.
He said this can reveal:
- there may be no fixed “you” in the center,
- just awareness and experience arising,
- which can lead to a deep sense of liberation.
Time, Free Will, and Parallel World Lines
The conversation also moved into physics-heavy territory.
Danny’s view of time
- He sees time less as a smooth flow and more as computational progression.
- He argued that “going backward” in time may not be possible in a literal sense.
- What we call time travel might instead mean moving across parallel branches or world lines.
Free will
- He leaned toward the idea that free will is an illusion, or at least not what we think it is.
- He said decisions may already exist as branching possibilities, and consciousness experiences one branch at a time.
Quantum computers and many worlds
- He referenced ideas from physicist David Deutsch to suggest quantum computing may rely on the reality of parallel worlds.
- In his view, computation may be happening across branches, not just inside one isolated universe.
AI, Alignment, and “We Are the AGI”
A major philosophical theme in the episode was AI and human civilization.
His “alignment” argument
Danny compared humanity to the thing we fear AI will become:
- He suggested we are the AGI we think will emerge in machines.
- Humanity, in his view, is the entity being tested and aligned.
Why AI matters in his framework
- AI is a tool that reflects our values, imagination, and ethics.
- He thinks advanced tools reveal whether humans are capable of:
- cooperation,
- moral growth,
- and moving beyond competition-driven behavior.
Competition vs collaboration
He argued that:
- competition works for a while, especially in scarce-resource environments,
- but a more advanced civilization must eventually move toward collaboration and love,
- because that is the only sustainable path for long-term survival and expansion.
The “God Equation” and Moral Testing
Danny connected all of this to God, morality, and what he called the “God equation.”
His theory in simple terms
- The universe may be a test of alignment.
- We may be “the answer” unfolding inside a larger mind.
- The real question may be whether conscious beings can become the kind of agents worthy of entering a higher order.
His spiritual framing
- He repeatedly tied this to Christian language, Buddhist concepts, and the idea of ascension.
- In his view, “heaven” or “the kingdom” is less about dogma and more about whether beings can live in harmony, care, and truth.
Research Tools, Apple Vision Pro, and Next Steps
Danny described how his work is becoming more structured and data-driven.
Tools and projects
- Code of Reality: his nonprofit/research initiative.
- veilbreak.ai: a public reporting tool for laser/DMT experiments.
- Apple Vision Pro software: used to label symbols and pair them with reported brain activity.
- A planned research center in Colorado.
- Retreats in Costa Rica / Nosara focused on safer, more integrated psychedelic work.
What they are trying to do
- Catalog the most common reported symbols.
- Match:
- where the symbol was seen,
- what the brain was doing,
- and what the participant reported.
- Build a kind of Rosetta Stone for these experiences.
- Compare data across participants to see whether the same information is appearing consistently.
Safety, Caution, and Integration
Danny repeatedly stressed that this work is not for everyone.
His cautions
- Psychedelics can produce dark experiences as well as blissful ones.
- Set, setting, and mental state matter a lot.
- Integration and psychological support are important.
- He does not suggest everyone should try this.
His practical stance
- Exploration is part of human nature.
- But humility and self-care are essential.
- He believes the real goal is not novelty for novelty’s sake, but better understanding and better human behavior.
Key Takeaways
- Danny Goler believes the DMT laser effect is a repeatable phenomenon shared by many users.
- He interprets it as evidence that reality may be computational, layered, and partially pre-rendered.
- He sees consciousness as fundamental and the self as an illusion or construct.
- He connects psychedelic states to broader questions about God, morality, free will, time, and AI alignment.
- His bigger message is that humanity should move toward collaboration, compassion, and responsibility if it wants to be “ready” for whatever reality actually is.