Burning Phoenix Podcast

Contemplation, to connect with the Transcendent

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:40:00 +0000

In this season finale of the Burning Phoenix we'll be looking at how Contemplation can be the key to rebalancing your outlook and re-connect with the Transcendent, and we'll see how this is suggested both by the Greek Philosopher Aristotle and in Dante's Paradiso.

And a big thanks to all our listeners for the great questions and inputs in this season!

Wishing you a peaceful and contemplative Christmas, and all the best for a happy and prosperous beginning of 2024!

Enjoy!

Music: "Piano Sway", by OurMusicBox

The Sphere of Venus in Dante's Paradiso. A Conversation with Prof. Robert-Louis Abrahamson.

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 10:55:00 +0000

Today it's a bit different episode where we'll be sharing a discussion of the Sphere of Venus with Prof. Robert-Louis Abrahamson from our Dante's Divine Comedy Podcast.

The conversation is about the main topics in the Third Sphere in Paradiso, and we'll explore the themes of spiritual growth, different forms of love, how self-management of your soul can shape reality, your relationships, and transform your perception of the world - and how living according to your own Nature is essential for your happiness!

Time stamps:

00:05 - Introduction

01:50 - The Conversation w/Prof. Abrahamson

Thanks for listening!

Music: "Piano Sway", by OurMusicBox

The bigger Life Choices, and the Four Primary Virtues

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 12:35:00 +0000

Today we'll be discussing a question from Adam in St. Louis, Missouri, about ways to think about the bigger overall life choices, especially in your early 20s.

And the Topic of the Week is the 4 Primary/Cardinal Virtues, how they can provide a great map for orientation and for navigating life, and how they are ultimately oriented towards seeking the Truth and the morally Good - originating in the Ancient Greeks.

Time stamps:

01:40 - Listener Question from Adam, Missouri

08:15 - The 4 Primary Virtues

And the two ongoing listener questions we'd love to hear your thoughts on are:

1. What is your favorite discovery/learning moment that you've had from reading medieval/classical literature? Is there a specific moment that changed your life or the trajectory of your life?

2. What is the biggest conundrum/dilemma you're trying to solve in your life at the moment? Then we'll try to connect this to the timeless wisdom from the old Traditions.

Please send us your thoughts on burningphoenix.substack.com, or by email at burningphoenix (at) substack.com!

Thanks for listening!

Music: "Piano Sway", by OurMusicBox

Speak up or stay Silent, and a "Crafted Cosmos"

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 13:30:00 +0000

Today we'll be discussing a question from Steven in Cumbria, England, and look at Dante's compelling argument about the unlikelihood of complete "randomness" in the Cosmos, and its consequences.

And we're launching a new field of study today: Bigpicturelogy! The inquiry and knowledge about the Big Picture of Being and the World.

Time stamps:

00:40 - Listener Question

13:15 - The "Crafted Cosmos Argument" from Paradiso Canto VIII

The two listener questions we're asking everyone are:

1. What is your favorite discovery/learning moment that you've had from reading medieval/classical literature? Is there a specific moment that changed your life or the trajectory of your life?

2. What is the biggest conundrum/dilemma you're trying to solve in your life at the moment? Then we'll try to connect this to the timeless wisdom from the old Traditions.

Just send us your thoughts on burningphoenix.substack.com, or by email at burningphoenix (at) substack.com, we'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for listening!

Music: "Piano Sway", by OurMusicBox

Patience with Bigger Changes in Life, and Del Noce about Modernity

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 08:40:00 +0000

Today we'll look at Del Noce's "The Idea of Modernity", talk about a listener question from Chris in Georgia, US, and ponder how looking at Venus in the early morning can connect us to the experience of Ancient Peoples.

2:00 - Listener Question from Chris, Georgia US

11:00 - Del Noce about Modernity

Enjoy!

Discovering Patterns in Stories, and Re-Aligning Humanity with Transcendent Truths

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:25:00 +0000

Today we're having a listener comment from Sean in Dallas, TX, and we'll look at how Dante suggests Humanity as a whole needs to realign with Transcendent Realities eventually - both in the Earthly and the Spiritual Realms.

And our two questions for you is an ongoing open conversation:

1. What is your favorite discovery/learning moment that you've had from reading medieval/classical literature? Is there a specific moment that changed your life or the trajectory of your life?

2. What is the biggest conundrum/dilemma you're trying to solve in your life at the moment? Then we'll try to connect this to the timeless wisdom from the old Traditions.

Send us your inputs at burningphoenix (at) substack.com, or comment on burningphoenix.substack.com.

Thanks for listening!

Music: "Piano Sway", by OurMusicBox

How Ancient/Medieval Texts can Change your Life

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 10:02:17 +0000

In this episode we'll go through two great examples from our listeners about how reading old texts have transformed their lives and their future outlook.

We'll also do a brief recap about Imperial History with Emperor Constantine's rise to sole Emperor after his first appointment to Ruler by his father's army in York, in 306 AD.

And we have a little plug for a conversation we did earlier this week with Robert-Louis Abrahamson, a Professor in English for the European Division of the University of Maryland, and also a Podcaster about Dante. The conversation is here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mY0dlQTiCT7uGy2lCOjqC

Thanks for listening!

Music: "Piano Sway", by OurMusicBox

The Transcendent as the Overall Frame of Being

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 15:54:00 +0000

Welcome to Season 2 of the Burning Phoenix!

Today we're talking about the "Beyond" or Transcendent as the long term stable Big Picture for our thinking - partly as Dante describes it in the Divine Comedy, after a long speech from Beatrice.

And we have two questions for you:

1. What is your favorite discovery/learning moment that you've had from reading medieval/classical literature? Is there a specific moment that changed your life or the trajectory of your life?

2. What is the biggest conundrum/dilemma you're trying to solve in your life at the moment? Then we'll try to connect this to the timeless wisdom from the old Traditions!

Send us an email at burningphoenix (at) substack.com, or leave a comment on burningphoenix.substack.com.

Thanks for listening, and enjoy!

#24 - Ancient Greek Thought, Forest Bathing, and balancing the Brain.

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 09:45:00 +0000

We'll look at three videos in this episode - about Ancient Japanese "Forest Bathing" with Shinto, some key points about the current right brain deficit in our current culture, and how the Ancient Greeks described much of the nature of the Right Brain with the idea and concept of the "Nous".

Timestamps

Forest bathing: 0:45

Right Brain Deficits: 2:30

Ancient Thought, The Nous: 8:05

Dante, on Learning: 13:00

Shinto Trailer, by Mythos & Logos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ya39a4AJac

Right Brain Deficits, by Tom LA Books: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5981pRcF0I

The Nous, by Bishop Maximus and Dr. Vervaeke (from c. 24 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRyVK0OEUH4

All of which points to a balanced brain, and solutions to re-finding the "Renaissance Mind".

Thanks for listening!

#23 - Early Renaissance, and Petrarch's thoughts about Dante.

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 09:45:00 +0000

We'll look at what the poet and father of Humanism, Francesco Petrarch, wrote about Dante in a letter to Boccaccio. Dante and Petrarch in many ways represent the two main reactions to the corruption of the Church and the negative anthropology that developed after the Schism: Dante regenerates a positive comprehensive cosmology, while Petrarch limits the focus to the human context and dismisses that which lies beyond.

But it is still an open question, as to why Petrarch refused to see how Dante introduces a positive form of Humanism in the Divine Comedy, and elevates the Classical Tradition and Greek Mythology, while still unifying this within something bigger.

Thanks for listening!

#22 - Book Tips, when the left brain takes over, and the Renaissance.

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 09:45:00 +0000

We'll look at two books in this episode: “More than Allegory” by Philosopher & Scientist Bernardo Kastrup, and “The Age of Utopia” by Historian and College Professor John Strickland.

Our video talk with Tom LA Books is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01AUovOS3Bo

And our GoodReads page is here:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21804137.Richard_Emerson

Thanks for listening!

#21 - Young Renaissance Minds, and some Book Tips

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 09:45:00 +0000

We'll briefly look at a recent conversation with Tom Holland, Stephen Meyer and Douglas Murray, and recommend some of their books. The full conversation is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2u54a1FL28

And we'll also be on the lookout for Young Renaissance Minds and Artists in the coming months; starting with this little video about life, the joy of exploration and the big mysteries in the world, by Ryan Trahan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYnVf9XnDLI

Thanks for listening!

#20 - CS Lewis, The Wisdom of Mythology, and the Meta-Meaning of Orpheus and Eurydice

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 09:45:00 +0000

We'll look at how CS Lewis had a precise intuitive understanding of the nature of the brain hemispheres, and how the story of Orpheus turning back and losing Eurydice as they are trying to leave the Underworld, contains deep insight into how a left brain overreach dissolves the deeper wisdom and meaning.

The Free Hillsdale Course is here:

https://online.hillsdale.edu/landing/an-introduction-to-c-s-lewis

Thanks for listening!

#19 - A New Rebirth on the Bigger Scale, and why it might be happening now.

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 09:45:00 +0000

We'll look at the century/milliennia picture and consider new factors that might contribute to a much bigger regeneration of culture, as well as goals and aims for this process of Rebirth and Renaissance. And we'll close with a vision of beauty and inspiration, that could provide a bright mental picture to apprehend and gradually move towards.

Thanks for listening!

#18 - Peterson's Exodus Series Episode 8, and the Big Picture for 2023

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 09:45:00 +0000

We'll look at Tom LA Books' videos, a Hillsdale course on CS Lewis, Jordan Peterson's last episode on the first half of Exodus, and some overall thoughts on the big picture for 2023 and the coming decade or two.

The emerging good things and the earliest stages for rebalancing the culture in the hemispheric sense, might seem to be starting to manifest themselves.

Thanks for listening!

#17 - Tom LA Books, and Dante's Relevance for Today

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 09:45:00 +0000

We're having the first guest on the show: Tom LA Books is here to talk about his new 100 episodes Youtube series about Dante's Divine Comedy in Italian:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpiUReQm8Y8YbRuhXc2r0j9lL5WwbrCzk

We'll also briefly talk about the videos by Iain McGilchrist and Alex Gomez-Marin where they are walking through the whole "The Matter with Things" Opus chapter by chapter. The first video from Part III of the book is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAZ2a-vawMk

And the trailer for the new Dante Movie is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKgn_n_DgOQ

Thanks for listening!

#16 - Jordan Peterson's Speech at Ephesus, Hillsdale College, and Beatrice's Eyes

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 09:45:00 +0000

We'll have a quick review of four of the excellent courses from Hillsdale College, some thoughts on Jordan Peterson's speech on the Logos at the Ancient Greek temple of Ephesus (one of the Seven Wonders of the World) - and a little "Tercet Meditation" from Dante, as inspiration for 2023.

The courses are here:

https://online.hillsdale.edu/course-list

And join the conversation at:

https://burningphoenix.substack.com

Thanks for tuning in, and Happy New Year!

#15 - Hillsdale College, Dante, and Tommaso Todesca

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 09:45:00 +0000

We'll look at the Hillsdale College's course on Dante's Divine Comedy, and the new videos from Tommaso Todesca on Dante's Comedy in Italian.

We'll also reflect on a couple of excerpts from Dante about the conseqences of your own moral choices in life, and about not judging things or people too quickly.

Hillsdale's free courses are here:

https://online.hillsdale.edu/course-list

And Tommaso's Booktube Channel is here:

https://www.youtube.com/@tomlabooks3263

Thanks for tuning in,

and wishing you a peaceful and merry Christmas!

#14 - Plagues, Nemesis and timeless Morals

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 09:45:00 +0000

We'll look at a couple of highlights from Episode 5 in Dr. Jordan Peterson's Exodus Series, and see how the idea of morals as consequences of virtues and vices has been expressed in both Ancient Greek and Late Medieval Times.

Thanks for listening!

#13 - The "Will to Power", and Fragmented Happiness

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 09:45:00 +0000

We'll look at Nietzsche's argument for the "Will to Power" in light of Left Brain Hemisphere domination, and also the effect of the more modern ideas of fragmented moments of happiness vs. the Ancient Greek concept of overall life happiness: Eudaimonia.

Both as reflections on the latest book from John Strickland, “The Age of Nihilism”.

#12 - The 10 Plagues, as a Tyranny Unraveling

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 09:45:00 +0000

We're looking at Episode 4 in Jordan Peterson's Exodus series, and how Nietzsche's attack on morality is problematic - with his Hubris of trying to transgress Transcendent Morality as a whole.

We'll also look at an interesting formative experience in Dostoevsky's young life.

Thanks for tuning in!

#11 - A Conversation with an Artificial (And Creative) Intelligence

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 09:45:00 +0000

We've spent a few days testing out the new ChatGPT, a creative and highly intelligent program/chatbot that is at times stunning, and at times plain wrong.

It also gave us a few jokes and a rewriting of Genesis in Trump's speaking Style!

#10 - Jordan Peterson's Exodus Ep 3, and a new book from John Strickland

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 09:45:00 +0000

In this episode we'll look at the Third Episode of the Peterson's Exodus Series, and also the opening of the new Fourth Volume of John Strickland's history work "Paradise and Utopia" - about Wagner, Nietzsche, and the striving towards the total transgression of moral boundaries.

And a plug for a Substack on Jung, symbolism and Active Imagination by our friend Sean Eckmann: mythicjourneys.substack.com

Thanks for listening!

Join the conversation at burningphoenix.substack.com!

#9 - Exodus, a New Series from Dr. Jordan B. Peterson

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 14:05:00 +0000

A look at the new series about Exodus from Dr. Jordan B. Peterson (16 episodes for Part I), plus a few excerpts from "The Life of Moses" by St. Gregory of Nyssa.

Thanks for listening!

#8 - Cosmic Skeptic, and the Idea of a Transcendent Reality

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 12:03:00 +0000

Why the dimension or perspective of an Immaterial or Transcendent Reality is important, not as a "that which we yet don't know", but a mysterious aspect of Being and the Cosmos.

It is also instrumental for a balanced thinking, and to avoid the excesses of the left brain hemisphere.

Thanks for listening!

#7 - When Private Money and Power goes Too Far

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 08:45:00 +0000

Looking at private money into US elections, and the excesses of the Catholic Church in 1054-1302.

We'll also look at the idea of fighting the mythological monster Hydra, and aiming at the belly and not endlessly cutting off its heads, as Dante warns against to the Holy German Emperor in 1311. A similar dynamic and approach might be relevant for private money influences today.

Thanks for listening!

#6 - The Rise of China, and two asymmetrical Global Systems

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 09:45:00 +0000

Thoughts on the rise of China, now soon the size of the US economy, and within this decade (2020s) most likely becoming the biggest economy on the Planet. Their economy is already 60x bigger in the last 40 years. And a global economic supremacy for China is nothing new, it has already happened twice before in the earlier Tang and Ming Dynasties.

We might be moving towards a sort of Yin-Yang World Governance now with China and the US/West, at least in the short/medium term. With two asymmetrical philosophies and systems, hopefully finding a constructive balance and harmony.

Plus, a book recommendation:

"When China Rules the World", by Martin Jacques.

Thanks for listening!

#5 - How to build an Ark, if the Flood is Coming

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 13:45:00 +0000

Five points about how to mentally and practically prepare - if a bigger metaphorical Flood is indeed coming soon in America now in 2022/23, and to some extent in parts of Europe.

1. Start building an Ark, immediately - with solid knowledge. It might be urgent. What to put in the Ark? The timeless parts of the Tradition, with Greek Myth and Philosophy, and/or f.ex. Dante's Divine Comedy, which is very solid.

2. Thinking: Start thinking critically, and not just what "feels good". There are many dilemmas and ambiguous aspects of the world.

3. Attitude: By positive - by keeping the long view.

4. Stay away from private media. It is currently mostly designed to fragment your psyche, and keep you worried and addicted. It disintegrates your mind over time.

5. Know that you can play a positive part, if you have a stable foundation, a solid Ark, and you can help other people by example. And much better times, are very likely to lay right beyond this.

For comments or to join the conversation, visit https://burningphoenix.substack.com

Thanks for listening!

#4 - Three Practical Ways to start Balancing your Brain

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 09:45:00 +0000

Three practical activities that could start today:

1. Spend time in nature.

2. Reduce online time drastically.

3. One of these: Play an instrument for 20 minutes. Read and contemplate old mythology and symbolism. Do 20 minutes of Tai Chi. Do something creative like writing a poem, a little story, make a painting, or compose a song.

All of which stimulates the right brain hemisphere, and could start a path to a more balanced Renaissance Mind outlook, and experience of life.

Thanks for listening!

#3 - Elon Musk as a Modern Day Guelph, Rising against the Aristocracy

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 09:45:00 +0000

Looking at parallels between modern day America and the 13th century powerful City-State of Florence.

Thanks for listening!

#2 - The Current Moment, in the Bigger Picture

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 09:45:00 +0000

An introductory episode for the Burning Phoenix Podcast, about how we will be drawing from the perspectives of Dr. Iain McGilchrist, Dante Alighieri, and Historian John Strickland on this podcast - to better understand the deeper patterns and trends of the last 3,000 years of European history, and what we might be seeing happening at this current moment of Time.

Join the conversation on https://burningphoenix.substack.com -

and thanks for listening!

#1 - Myths and Subjugating Truth

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 12:15:00 +0000

"The Aspirations of Changing and Controlling Truth"

How trying to control and subjugate the Truth is expressed in Ancient Traditions.

Join the conversation here:

https://burningphoenix.substack.com/p/the-aspirations-of-changing-and-controlling