Search for episodes from The Forest of Symbols with a specific topic:

Latest episodes from The Forest of Symbols

In the Stacks: The Crying of Lot 49 Pt. 1

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2024 49:51


Entropy, Codes, Information Theory, Threads, Towers, Pentacost, Networks, Signs and Wonders. To listen to Part 2 and other bonus episodes, or to support the show, visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

Vico's New Science: Reading & Commentary Pt. 1- Introduction

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 74:29


We're starting a new series on a landmark book philosophy, history, and cultural theory, reading through books 4 & 5 on the course and recourse of nations. To hear the rest of the series and other episodes, or to support the show, please visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[Unlocked] Vol: VII- Frog Gods, Frog Men, Pt. 2

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2024 144:19


A B R A C A D A B R A  A B R A C A D A B R   A B R A C A D A B    A B R A C A D A     A B R A C A D      A B R A C A       A B R A C        A B R A         A B R          A B           A For more content or to support the show, please visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[Unlocked] Vol. IX: Bees Pt. 2

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2024 98:46


The Riddle of Samson The Ritual Resurrection of Bees A Legend from the Book of Mormon The Simile of Virgil and Milton Prophetic Science Fiction from Ernst Junger The Dark Side of Swarm Intelligence 

Vol. XIII- Mirrors Part Two: Narcissus

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 279:24


Who are you? Does Art hold the mirror up to Nature? Are you in a rivalry with your self? Are we all narcissists now?

"Autumnal Spring"

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2024 6:37


This is a little PhaseGoht/Forest of Symbols collab intended for the Mirrors series that I wasn't able to fit in. Enjoy!

[PREVIEW] Vol. XIII- Mirrors Pt. 2: Narcissus

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 133:26


To enjoy the second half of this and other episodes, please visit Aldous Asterion | creating Podcasts | Patreon Follow me @AldousAsterion

[PREVIEW] Cormac McCarthy's Novels: Worst to Best, Part III

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2023 9:23


For the full episode, to support the show, and get early access to episodes and bonus content, go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

Vol. XII: Mirrors Pt. 1- The Aleph

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2023 108:17


As Above, so Below For the rest of this series and other bonus content, or to support the show, please visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[PREVIEW] Vol. XII: Mirrors Pt. 1: The Aleph

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2023 10:11


Infinity plus one. For the complete episode, visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod and become a patron today.

Against Interpretation: Reading and Commentary

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2023 85:17


To interpret or not to interpret? Susan Sontag, 1966

[UNLOCKED] Redemption Through Sin: Reading & Commentary Pt. 7 of 8

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2023 58:08


In the penultimate episode, we step into the abyss. For the conclusion to this series and other bonus content, or to support the show, please visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[UNLOCKED] Redemption Through Sin: Reading & Commentary Pt. 6 of 8

Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2023 63:24


The continuing story of the false messiah as recounted by Gershom Scholem. For the rest of this series and other bonus content, or to support the show, please visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[UNLOCKED] Redemption Through Sin: Reading & Commentary Pt. 5 of 8

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2023 42:11


With special guest William Blake. For the rest of this series and other bonus content, or to support the show, please visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[UNLOCKED] Redemption Through Sin: Reading and Commentary Pt. 4

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2023 47:49


Scholem deals with moderate Sabbateanism, its revival/inversion of gnostic ideas, and I try to stay on point.

[UNLOCKED] Redemption Through Sin: Reading & Commentary Pt. 3

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2023 46:27


The growing importance of the messianic idea in Jewish history; the story of Esther; the "Faustian" nature of the West, etc. To listen to the full series now or support the show, go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[UNLOCKED] Redemption Through Sin: Reading and Commentary Pt. 2

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2023 53:28


Messianic & millenarian background to 1666; Rosicrucianism; Jupiter & Saturn; pneumatic spiritual elitism; the Reverse Ben Shapiro . . . To support the show and access bonus content (including this full commentary series), visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[PREVIEW] Interplanetary Music: Cosmic Chaos (The Music of Uqbar)

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2023 13:17


To support the show, and get early access to episodes and bonus content, go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

The Chariot and the Passenger: Brad Kelly on Cormac McCarthy & Others

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2023 154:00


Author & podcaster Brad Kelly (https://twitter.com/bradkelly) returns to talk Art of Darkness (https://artofdarkpod.com/), the new McCarthy novels, the tarot in Blood Meridian, the Bung-Plug of the Void, and more. To support the show, and get early access to episodes and bonus content, go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

Vol. XI: Ice

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2023 69:44


For destruction, ice is great. To support the show, and get early access to episodes and bonus content, go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

The Book Scorpion

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2023 2:22


To support the show, and get early access to episodes and bonus content, go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[UNLOCKED] A Grab Bag of Dick

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2022 83:47


A survey of most of the PKD reading and rereading done in preparation to guest on the Art of Darkness Podcast. To support the show, and get early access to episodes and bonus content, go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

"Snow" by Lous MacNeice

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2022 2:39


The room was suddenly rich and the great bay-window was Spawning snow and pink roses against it Soundlessly collateral and incompatible: World is suddener than we fancy it. World is crazier and more of it than we think, Incorrigibly plural. I peel and portion A tangerine and spit the pips and feel The drunkenness of things being various. And the fire flames with a bubbling sound for world Is more spiteful and gay than one supposes— On the tongue on the eyes on the ears in the palms of one's hands— There is more than glass between the snow and the huge roses. To support the show, and get early access to episodes and bonus content, go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

In the Stacks: Blood Meridian

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2022 99:25


Blood, Time, and the Cosmic Dance.

[UNLOCKED] In the Stacks- Dubliners

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2022 48:26


With the gargantuan achievements of Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, and the revolution of A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, it's easy to overlook Joyce's first breakthrough: the 1914 short story collection Dubliners. Here's why you shouldn't.

[PREVIEW]- In the Stacks: Programmed to Kill

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2022 19:14


One of the best I've done in this series so far. Stay tuned for more. Please visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod and become a patron for as little as $3 to listen to this and many other episodes today.

[PREVIEW] Vol. IX: Bees (Pt. 2)

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2022 13:49


Please visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod and become a patron for as little as $3 to listen to this and many other episodes today.

[PREVIEW] Vol. VII: Frog Gods, Frog Men (Pt. 2)

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2022 18:49


Please visit https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod and become a patron for as little as $3 to listen to this and many other episodes today.

Vol. X: Grasshoppers

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2022 168:13


Presenting Thee Grace Hoper that Lies Heavy, Crucified Bug Man, Thee Waste Land or, (you never did) the Kenoma Kid, Jovial and Saturnine MM (Mystical Messiah) 1666.

[UNLOCKED] Interplanetary Music: Subliminal Seduction

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2022 42:12


“People generally can not believe themselves so easily manipulated and controllable. This is precisely why they are so easy to manpulate and contol.” ― Wilson Bryan Key For more stellar mixes please go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

[UNLOCKED] Circles: Reading and Commentary

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2022 65:08


"The eye is the first circle; the horizon which it forms is the second; and throughout nature this primary figure is repeated without end. It is the highest emblem in the cipher of the world."

In the Stacks: Programmed to Kill

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2022 67:42


David McGowan's 2004 book Programmed to Kill: the Politics of Serial Murder is probably the darkest and most disturbing conspiracy theory I have ever read, placing it high in the running for the darkest and most disturbing books I have ever read. It has become a foundational text for the Conspiracy Left (contra conspiracy theory's reputation as the exclusive domain of the right, McGowan was a committed leftist), and something of a meme recently. How does it hold up? Music by PhaseGoht Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod. Follow me at https://twitter.com/AldousAsterion.

In the Stacks: The Ghost

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2022 50:10


"After such knowledge what forgiveness? Think now/History has many cunning passages, contrived corridors/And issues, deceives us with whispering ambitions,/Guides us by vanities." In all honesty, I was too lenient on Angleton; he was an evil man. But the connection between his modernist, New-Critical literary training and the way he shaped the practice of intelligence in the 20th Century remains under-analyzed. As a gesture to this end, I read T.S. Eliot's poem "Gerontion" and compared some of its lines to Angleton's life and career.

Redemption Through Sin: Reading and Commentary (Part One)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2022 55:22


In 1666 the world was full of apocalyptic expectations. Onto this stage stepped Sabbatai Zevi, who proclaimed himself messiah. It was a new era, in which the Law was annihilated. Gershom Scholem's classic essay reevaluated the legacy of the false prophet of the 17th century. This is part 1 of 8. For the rest of this series, go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod and become a patron of the podcast.

[PREVIEW] In the Stacks: A Grab Bag of Dick

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2022 13:25


For those that just can't get enough Dick, I covered the material (novels, short stories & critical works) I read in preparation for the Art of Darkness episode on PKD. For the full show go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod.

Philip K. Dick's Black Iron Prison with Art of Darkness

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2022 205:43


I joined the Art of Darkness Podcast (hosted by @kevinkautzman and @bradkelly) to discuss the life and works of Philip K. Dick. Follow the podcast on twitter @artofdarkpod. Artwork by @pinealcolada. Follow me @AldousAsterion.

Bees, Pt. 2

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2022 98:46


Samson's riddle, Virgil's ritual, Milton's Hell, and Junger's prophecy. Music by PhaseGoht. Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod. Follow @Aldous Asterion.

The Shape of Pods to Come

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2022 7:38


Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod. Follow me on Twitter @AldousAsterion. Listen to No Future: https://soundcloud.com/no_future_93. Listen to The Art of Darkness: https://artofdarkpod.com/ I will be a guest on some future episodes of both of these great podcasts.

[PREVIEW] Circles: Reading & Commentary

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2022 13:16


"The eye is the first circle; the horizon which it forms is the second; and throughout nature this primary figure is repeated without end. It is the highest emblem in the cipher of the world."

Competing Systems of Psychopathology: Heghoulian on JG Ballard Pt 2

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2022 103:12


Heghoulian is back to discuss the second half of Ballard's career, focusing in particular on the novels Empire of the Sun (1984) and Millennium People (2003). Themes include war, class, modernity, hauntology, and psychopathology. Read Heghoulian's writing at https://heghoulian.substack.com/ and follow him on Twitter @Heghoulian.

[UNLOCKED] Christ, a Symbol of the Self

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2022 154:48


Why do we become the Joker? A reading of and commentary on Carl Jung's essay, "Christ, a Symbol of the Self," from Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self (1951).

8: Bees

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2022 65:44


I make for you the honey of the mind. [Music by PhaseGoht]

[UNLOCKED] 7: Frog Gods, Frog Men Pt. 2

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2021 144:19


A B R A C A D A B R A A B R A C A D A B R A B R A C A D A B A B R A C A D A A B R A C A D A B R A C A A B R A C A B R A A B R A B A

The Underbred James Joyce with Art of Darkness

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2021 195:33


Kevin Kautzman and Brad Kelley were gracious enough to let me ramble a bit about the works of James Joyce on their podcast Art of Darkness (https://artofdarkpod.com/), "about the dark side of artists, creatives, intellectuals and the people who made history and continue to move culture." BK does an excellent job of providing the bio. It's a long episode, but imho the best all-around introduction to the life and work Joyce you're going to find in audio form.

The Logic of the Landscape: Heghoulian on JG Ballard (Part 1)

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2021 102:59


J.G. Ballard was the 20th-century's master of disaster, fusing surrealism, sex and science fiction to create a distinctive apocalyptic vision. Heghoulian (https://heghoulian.substack.com/) joins me to explore the first half of this prolific career.

Owen Briggs on Rudolf Steiner and Esoteric Science

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2021 113:26


Owen Briggs is an astrologer and Steiner enthusiast. His website is https://apisastrology.com/. Follow him on twitter @BullOfHeaven_. We focus on the Austrian spiritual scientist and thinker Rudolf Steiner, but this is a wide-ranging discussion covering astrology, music, ethics, technology and magic.

[PREVIEW] In The Stacks: The Ghost

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2021 6:37


Go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod and become a patron for more book reviews.

Moderation and/or Killdozer with Kevin Kautzman

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2021 114:39


Playwright Kevin Kautzman (follow @KevinKautzman) is the author of Moderation and the co-host of the podcast Art of Darkness (@artofdarkpod). https://moderationplay.com/ https://artofdarkpod.com/

Preview for Interplanetary Music Podcast: Animamundi Part One

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2021 8:18


Inspired by the incredible compilation Psych Funk Sa-Re-Ga: Aesthetic Expressions of Psychedelic Funk Music in India, I ransacked dozens of world psych music compilations for samples to make this long, trippy mix. Go to https://www.patreon.com/symbolpod for more Interplanetary Music.

In the Stacks #1- Transhumanism: A Grimoire of Alchemical Agendas

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2021 36:26


This recording is from 2016, a demo for a podcast that never happened, where I would have just reviewed books in the off-the-cuff manner I do here. I may do more like it in the future. I would not necessarily say the exact same things today, but I'm uploading this because all of the topics the book addresses are germane to recent and future episodes of The Forest of Symbols. You can think of this as an appendix of sorts to the main episodes.

6: Frog Gods, Frog Men Part 1

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2021 121:00


Frog went a courtin' and he did ride King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o With a sword and pistol by his side King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o Ki-mo-ki-mo-ki-mo-ki Way down yonder in a hollow tree An owl and a bat and a bumblebee King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o He rode 'til he came to miss mouse's door King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o And there he knelt upon the floor King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o Ki-mo-ki-mo-ki-mo-ki Way down yonder in the hollow tree An owl and a bat and a bumblebee King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o He took Miss Mouse upon his knee King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o And he said, "Little mouse will you marry me?" King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o Ki-mo-ki-mo-ki-mo-ki Way down yonder in a hollow tree An owl and a bat and a bumblebee King kong kitchie kitchie ki-me-o [Music by PhaseGoht]

Claim The Forest of Symbols

In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

Claim Cancel