Podcasts about William Blake

Today's poem is a more eloquent version of an appeal being made in many households this month. Happy reading. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe

De engelska romantiska diktarna var inga världsfrånvända skönandar, utan politiska poeter som radikalt ville förändra samhället. Gabriella Håkansson berättar en historia som ofta glöms bort. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. ESSÄ: Detta är en text där skribenten reflekterar över ett ämne eller ett verk. Åsikter som uttrycks är skribentens egna. Ursprungligen publicerad 2019-08-15.Tanken på att promenera har något idylliskt över sig. Ett slags frid förknippad med naturen – kanske ser man en romantisk poet som William Wordsworth framför sig, som strövar runt i grönskan och stannar till för att besjunga en blomma eller en antik ruin vid vägkanten.Första gången jag hörde talas om den engelska romantiken var på gymnasiet, vi läste John Keats dikt ”Ode till en grekisk urna” och diskuterade dess olika metapoetiska aspekter. Vi fick lära oss ord som ekfras och sonett, men inte i vilket sammanhang den här vackra poesin skrevs. Och visst fascinerades jag av lord Byrons incestuösa kärlekshistorier och Mary Shelleys tragiska liv – men romantiken blev ändå för mig en estetisk, lite världsfrånvänd rörelse som målade upp ruiner i månljus, stilla promenader och vild natur, och jag tror att den här gymnasiala bilden av romantiken lever kvar hos många, ännu idag.Sällskapets syfte var att upprätta en självstyrande republik, där man och kvinna ska leva i enhet med naturen, dela makten och arbetet lika, och där allt privatägande är avskaffat.Man brukar säga att startskottet för den engelska romantiken var diktsamlingen ”Lyrical Ballads”. Den kom ut 1798, och skrevs gemensamt av Samuel Taylor Coleridge och William Wordsworth. Boken kom till medan de gick långa promenader i det engelska landskapet, och avhandlade Spinoza och tysk metafysik.Så sägs det i varje fall.Men Historien kan berättas på många sätt, och jag tänkte berätta en annan version, med mindre månljus – och mer action, som tar sin utgångspunkt i Samuel Coleridge politiska engagemang.Redan som sjuttonåring skrev den unge poeten sin första prorevolutionära dikt "Bastiljens fall", och tre år senare år senare vann han en poesitävling med ett kritiskt ”Ode till slav-handeln”. Hans rum på Cambridge blev snabbt ett centrum för den radikala studentrörelsen och han kom att umgås med den ökända klick ultraradikaler som kallades för ”de engelska jakobinerna”. Bland dem fanns framstående författare som William Blake, filosofen Mary Wollstonecraft och hennes sambo William Godwin. Själva kallade de sig demokrater och ordnade massmöten där tiotusentals människor kom för att kräva allmän rösträtt. Staten fick kalla fötter och svarade med inskränkt mötesfrihet och gav kronan rätt att kasta vem som helst i fängelse.Konflikten mellan demokraterna och överhögheten förde England farligt nära inbördeskrigets rand, och det var i de här kretsarna den 20-årige Coleridge befann sig när han formade som poet. Sommaren 1794 beslutade han sig för att prova den nya flugan – att fotvandra. Att gå sågs inom rörelsen som det yttersta uttrycket för demokrati. Man klädde sig folkligt, hängde på lokala värdshus och umgicks med allmogen. Filosofiskt knöt man an till de antika vandrande föreläsarna, men promenaden var också ett sätt att återerövra den gamla medeltida idén om allmänningen, ja, att gå till fots var på alla sätt ett politiskt statement. Iklädd arbetarjacka, lösa byxor och ett bärbart bläckhorn vandrade Coleridge över 80 mil på en månad.Tillsammans med en annan radikal poet – Robert Southey – arbetade han därefter fram ett politiskt program där epokens alla progressiva idéer fördes samman till en messiansk häxbrygd.Under namnet ”Det pantisokratiska sällskapet” skulle Coleridge och Southey frälsa världen från sedelkapitalismens och civilisationens fördärv. Sällskapets syfte var att upprätta en självstyrande republik, där man och kvinna ska leva i enhet med naturen, dela makten och arbetet lika, och där allt privatägande är avskaffat. Pantisokratin får många anhängare, och 1796 lämnar Coleridge, Southey och en tredje kamrat storstan för att utropa den första pantisokratiska kommunen, i en liten lägenhet i Bristol. Men verkligheten kommer snart ikapp. Efter någon månad står man inte ut med varandra. Projektet kollapsar.karaktärerna hämtas från vardagslivet – man skriver om barn, gamlingar och dårhjon – figurer som aldrig tidigare existerat i diktens värld.Men Coleridge ger inte upp. När han senare samma år gifter sig och bildar familj gör han ett nytt försök att realisera utopin, nu i mindre skala, på engelska landsbygden, och det är där han träffar William Wordsworth och dennes syster, Dorothy. Han ordnar ett hus åt syskonen bara ett stenkast från sitt eget, och fortsätter – nu i deras sällskap – sina radikala fotvandringar. I pantisokratisk anda diskuterar de tanken på att revolutionera litteraturen, och skapa ett verk som upplyser och förändrar människan i grunden. Wordsworth är entusiastisk, och 1797 påbörjas det gemensamma projektet med en diktsamling som ska komma att bryta med tidens alla estetiska ideal.Istället för högstämda parabler om grekiska gudar hämtar man stoff från balladen och folksagan, istället för hexameter använder man blankvers. Motiven lånas in från låga genrer som gotiken, och karaktärerna hämtas från vardagslivet – man skriver om barn, gamlingar och dårhjon – figurer som aldrig tidigare existerat i diktens värld. Boken utkommer 1798 under titeln ”Lyrical Ballads”– och resten är historia.Men historien kan som sagt berättas på många olika sätt, och man kan undra varför just den här radikala, politiska bakgrunden till romantiken så ofta har hamnat i skymundan? Kanske för att författarna själva tog avstånd från sin radikalitet när franska revolutionen övergick i blodbad och Frankrike blev Englands ärkefiende. Man reviderade sina ungdomsdikter, och många vände kappan efter vinden och blev konservativa. Den ende som vägrade göra avbön var William Hazlitt, som dyrkade Napoleon ända till sin död. Som tack för det blev han bortglömd i 150 år.Men den förklaringen räcker ändå inte, för den andra generationens romantiker, med lord Byron och makarna Shelley i spetsen, var ju ännu mer avantgardistiska. De skrev en litteratur som öppet fördömde religionen, tog avstånd från äktenskapet och rasade över såväl kommersialismen som miljöförstöringen. Pantisokratin i all ära, men 1812 drog Percy Bysshe Shelley radikaliteten till sin yttersta spets och pekade ut köttätandet som roten till allt ont. Han förespråkade en vegetarisk kostreform som måste genomföras innan någon radikal utopi alls kunde bli verklighet.Shelley hade inte bara hämtat sitt tankegods från föregångarna Godwin och Wollstonecraft, han äktade också deras dotter, Mary. Hon, som 1814 i ett svar på makens subversiva dikt, ”Den befriade Prometheus”, skriver romanen ”Frankenstein”.de gamla romantikerna lyfts fram ur glömskan och nu påstås utgöra Englands guldålder. Men först dammas de av och skrubbas rena från obehagligt politiskt godsFem år senare sätter staten definitivt stopp för den radikala rörelsen genom att i Manchester skicka in kavalleriet när en folkmassa på 60 000 person i söndagskläder kräver rösträtt. Arton dör och 650 skadas i vad som kom att kallas för Peterloomassakern – och med det är romantikens dagar räknade. Coleridge, Shelley och de andra börjar betraktas som mossiga, och det är inte förrän Viktorianerna långt senare försöker skapa en nationell kanon som de gamla romantikerna lyfts fram ur glömskan och nu påstås utgöra Englands guldålder. Men först dammas de av och skrubbas rena från obehagligt politiskt gods - och vips står den bildsköne lord Byron gipsbyst på var mans spiselhylla.Det är några av förklaringarna till hur en av Europas mest progressiva litterära rörelser kunde förvandlas till vacker, men uddlös estetik.I England närmar man sig nu tvåhundraårsdagen av Peterloomassakern och säkert kommer man hedra de som föll offer för statens våld. Kanske kommer vi nu äntligen få se en renässans för alla de galna, visionära utopiska idéer som romantikerna också brann för?Gabriella Håkansson, författare

The dead got into him. Old London got into him.

Atrocities is an epic poem (of sorts), out soon from Hyperidean Press. In it, Felix McNamara explores the end of the End of History with a great deal of humour (it's a very, very funny poem), insight, talk show panels (starring, among others, Marvin Heemeyer, Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, and William Blake), ape attacks, and more. I'd really encourage everyone to get a copy!I will be attending a reading in Melbourne on the 21st of August, at the Bar Lingo, Thornbury, alongside Felix McNamara, Matt Sini, Liam Blackford, Lucas Smith, Jack Norman, Russell Walter, Ivan Niccolai, and some special guests!Buy Atrocities: https://www.hyperideanpress.com/shopFelix on Substack: https://substack.com/@felixmcnamaraVERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONContact: jack.bcfh@gmail.comJack has an upcoming novel called 'Audience Capture', out October 2026 through Bonfire Books! Preorder now! https://bonfirebooks.org/product/audience-capture-by-jack-cuthbertson-pre-order/Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/bookclubfromhellOur Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Capitalisimo on X: @thecapitalisimoArt by moog

Abraham Lincoln believed certain dreams appeared before major events in the Civil War. Harriet Tubman trusted visions and divine warnings while leading people out of slavery. William Blake said he saw angels, spirits, and his dead brother. Philip K. Dick believed a pink beam transferred information directly into his mind. W. B. Yeats and his wife produced thousands of pages supposedly dictated by invisible teachers.In this episode of Idiot Mystic, we look at five respected historical figures who believed that dreams, visions, voices, spirits, or unknown intelligences were communicating with them.Were these experiences messages from God, non-human intelligence, the unconscious mind, trauma, intuition, neurological events, or something that sits between all of those explanations?We examine Lincoln's dreams before his assassination, Harriet Tubman's spiritual guidance during her rescue missions, William Blake's populated world of angels and spirits, Philip K. Dick's encounter with the mysterious pink beam, and the automatic writing sessions that shaped some of W. B. Yeats's most important later work.The point is not to force every experience into the same explanation. These people lived in different centuries, followed different beliefs, and encountered very different forms of intelligence. What connects them is that each believed important information had reached them from somewhere beyond their ordinary conscious mind.The stranger question is what happened after they listened.Listen to Idiot Mystic on YouTube and Spotify, and find more strange history, spirituality, psychology, mysticism, paranormal research, and investigations into the unseen at:Website: https://idiotmystic.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/idiotmysticTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@idiotmysticDiscord: https://discord.gg/dXKjhZrZmMShare this episode with someone who has ever wondered where intuition ends and contact begins.Until next time, take care of yourself, please.

Anika sat down with Tim Lindsay to explore what it really takes to build a publishing company from the ground up—starting with negative net worth and zero safety net. The conversation revealed the realities of bootstrapping Tellwell Publishing to over 6,000 books, the critical differences between traditional and self-publishing, and how a 128-day NICU crisis tested his leadership. Tim's journey offers a masterclass in resilience, scaling teams, and understanding the true strategic value of writing a book.In This EpisodeQuitting a day job with massive credit card debt and mastering the art of bootstrappingThe evolution of self-publishing and why traditional publishing gatekeepers are losing their gripThe three core motivations for writing a book: Give, Build, and JourneyScaling a team from 1 to 12 (the honeymoon phase) versus the painful jump to 30 employeesNavigating a 128-day NICU crisis while keeping a growing business from collapsingWhy the "Guide" function is the missing link in the modern publishing landscapeWriting The Call to Authorship in just 30 minutes a day before the second cup of coffeeThe importance of team cohesion and why traditional HR rules often miss the markTimestamps00:00 Introduction: Bootstrapping a publishing company from nothing01:34 The leap into self-employment with $50,000 in credit card debt07:04 How Amazon and Print-on-Demand revolutionized the publishing industry10:40 Understanding the real reasons people write books (Give, Build, Journey)12:25 The incredible story of The 10-Year-Old Man and publishing for impact21:44 The honeymoon startup phase and the chaos of scaling past 12 employees29:29 The parallels between starting a business, writing a book, and starting a family32:53 Tim's personal writing routine for The Call to Authorship36:58 Surviving a 128-day NICU crisis without burning out the business43:56 Why the "Guide" function became Tellwell Publishing's secret sauce48:34 Redefining book success: visibility and strategy over royalties51:14 Why team cohesion matters more than traditional management55:08 Atomic Habits and a powerful William Blake quote on taking actionKey Insights & TakeawaysInsight 1: The Three Core Motivations for Authorship (Give, Build, Journey) People don't just write books to make a profit. The drive to publish typically stems from three areas: "Give" (serving the reader or society), "Build" (using the book as a strategic tool to grow a business or speaking career), and the "Journey" (personal healing, expression, and meaning). Understanding your primary motivation changes how you write and market the book.Insight 2: The "Guide" Function is the Missing Link in Publishing While self-publishing offers higher royalties and creative control, it can be an isolating and overwhelming process. Tellwell succeeded by institutionalizing the "Guide" role—a mix of advice, project management, quality control, and emotional encouragement that empowers authors without removing their creative autonomy.Insight 3: The Danger Zone of Scaling is Between 12 and 30 Employees Growing a team to 12 people feels like a honeymoon phase where everyone communicates like a volleyball team in a huddle. But scaling past 20 requires building a functional management team. This transition drains cash flow, demands rigorous hiring, and risks creating a negative flywheel if bad hires lead to customer issues and low morale.Insight 4: A Book is a Strategic Tool, Not a Lottery Ticket Competing against millions of books and streaming platforms makes getting rich off royalties incredibly difficult. The modern author wins by using their book to gain visibility, establish credibility, and generate leads for speaking engagements or consulting services, rather than waiting to become the next Oprah book club pick.Insight 5: Consistency Trumps Free Time Tim wrote The Call to Authorship while running a scaling business and managing a family. His secret wasn't taking a sabbatical; it was dedicating 30 minutes a day to write 500 words before his second cup of coffee. Small, daily habits build momentum that eventually results in a completed 50,000-word manuscript.Insight 6: The Soft Stuff is the Hard Stuff in Business Reflecting on his journey, Tim realized he underestimated the importance of team cohesion. It isn't built at an annual retreat; it's forged in daily interactions, dropping guards, and building trust. Without that personal connection, communication breaks down and business decisions suffer.Resources & Links MentionedTellwellPublishing.comThe Call to Authorship (Tim's book)Free Guide to Self-Publishing Atomic Habits by James ClearAbout Tim LindsayTim Lindsay is the founder and CEO of Tellwell Publishing. He bootstrapped the company over 11 years ago after quitting his day job to get himself out of $50,000 in credit card debt. Since then, Tellwell has published over 6,000 books across multiple genres. Tim is also the author of The Call to Authorship, a guide for aspiring writers. He operates his company out of Victoria, British Columbia, balancing entrepreneurship with family life, having navigated the turbulent waters of scaling a startup alongside a 128-day NICU journey with his newborn.Connect with Tim LindsayTellwellPublishing.comCalltoAuthorship.comTellwell Publishing on Social Media:https://www.facebook.com/TellwellPublishing/https://www.linkedin.com/company/tellwellpublishing/https://www.instagram.com/tellwellpublishing/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode features a conversation between Dr. Mark Vernon and Professor Peter Hawkins. This discussion is part of a series that Peter will be doing with some of the major thinkers and writers of our time, focusing on the necessary evolution of human consciousness, for humans to be future-fit to live on this planet in a way that makes a net-positive contribution to the wider ecology. The series is being done jointly with: The Weekend University and the Renewal Foundation. Dr. Vernon is a writer and psychotherapist whose work explores figures including William Blake, Dante, and Owen Barfield, making their insights accessible to contemporary readers seeking deeper understanding of consciousness and meaning. His recent book “Awake” examines how poetic imagination can reconnect us with dimensions of reality that modern culture has obscured. Peter is Emeritus Professor of Leadership at Henley Business School, founder of the Academy of Executive Coaching, and a leading authority on systemic leadership, coaching, and organizational transformation. His work integrates insights from psychology, systems thinking, ecology, and philosophy to help leaders navigate an increasingly complex world. His most recent book was: Beauty in Leadership and Coaching, which was published by Routeledge in 2025. In this conversation, they explore: — Why imagination is not just private fantasy, but a way of engaging with a deeper reality — How Owen Barfield's study of language reveals the evolution of human awareness across centuries — The distinction between original participation, separation, and final participation in the development of consciousness — Why addiction can be understood as a spiritual crisis rooted in misunderstanding what truly satisfies — How transforming human desire may help address the ecological and social challenges of our time — The difference between becoming "someone" and becoming "no one" in the spiritual journey And more. You can learn more about Mark's work and writings at markvernon.com and Peter's work at renewalassociates.co.uk. --- Interview links: — Prof. Hawkins' website - https://renewalassociates.co.uk — Dr Vernon's website: https://www.markvernon.com/ — Dr Vernon's book: https://amzn.to/4vD4Mp3

Resources: [1] NOTUS (which obtained the draft); Fortune; GMO. "Treasury Has an Internal Report Warning About the Dangers of an AI Bubble." https://www.notus.org/economy/treasury-internal-report-warning-dangers-ai-bubble Accessed 2026-07-10. [2] Oliver Wyman. "How An AI Bubble Burst Could Shake Global Financial Markets." https://www.oliverwyman.com/our-expertise/insights/2026/jan/impact-ai-bubble-burst-on-global-financial-markets.html Accessed 2026-07-10. [3] CNBC. "Musk's xAI, SpaceX combo is the biggest merger of all time." https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/03/musk-xai-spacex-biggest-merger-ever.html Accessed 2026-07-10. [4] Forbes. "SpaceX IPO Is Forcing Changes To Index And Underwriting Rules." https://www.forbes.com/sites/garthfriesen/2026/04/25/spacex-ipo-is-forcing-changes-to-index-and-underwriting-rules/ Accessed 2026-07-10. [5] Public Order Emergency Commission (Justice Paul Rouleau). "Public Order Emergency Commission Report; Federal Court ruling." https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/convoy-protest-emergencies-act-appeal-9.7046769 Accessed 2026-07-10. [6] Eurasian Times. "96 Drones, One Operator: China Demonstrates Massive Drone AI Swarm." https://www.eurasiantimes.com/96-drones-one-operator-china-demonstrates-massive-drone-ai-swarm-in-precision-strike-test/ Accessed 2026-07-10. [7] Britannica. "Luddite (Industrial Revolution, Machine-Breaking)." https://www.britannica.com/event/Luddite Accessed 2026-07-10. [8] Britannica. "Haymarket Affair." https://www.britannica.com/event/Haymarket-Affair Accessed 2026-07-10. [9] MIT Media Lab (Kosmyna et al.). "Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt." https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/your-brain-on-chatgpt/ Accessed 2026-07-10. [10] AI Business Weekly / SemiAnalysis. "Claude Code Statistics 2026." https://aibusinessweekly.net/p/claude-code-statistics Accessed 2026-07-10. [11] American Psychological Association. "AI chatbots and digital companions are reshaping emotional connection." https://www.apa.org/monitor/2026/01-02/trends-digital-ai-relationships-emotional-connection Accessed 2026-07-10. [12] ProMarket (Stigler Center). "Your 401(k) Is Propping Up the AI Bubble." https://www.promarket.org/2026/05/05/your-401k-is-propping-up-the-ai-bubble/ Accessed 2026-07-10. [13] The American Prospect. "Elon Musk Is About to Make Saving for Retirement Even Harder." https://prospect.org/2026/06/10/elon-musk-spacex-ipo-retirement-savings-index-funds-stock-market/ Accessed 2026-07-10. [14] TechCrunch. "xAI burned $6.4B last year; SpaceX's IPO filing shows the spending is far from over." https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/xai-burned-6-4b-last-year-spacexs-ipo-filing-shows-why-the-spending-is-far-from-over/ Accessed 2026-07-11. [15] CCTV News via Global Times. "Atlas drone-swarm system opens the launcher and deploys drones." https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2026/2026-03-25/82ca82dc-c249-4647-9f19-e6bfa1c91b34.jpeg Accessed 2026-07-11. [16] Pieter Bruegel the Elder. "The Tower of Babel (1563)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder_-_The_Tower_of_Babel_(Vienna)_-_Google_Art_Project_-_edited.jpg Accessed 2026-07-11. [17] Michelangelo. "The Prophet Daniel (Sistine Chapel ceiling, c.1511)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sistine_Chapel_ceiling_-_Daniel Accessed 2026-07-11. [18] William Blake. "The Number of the Beast is 666 (c.1805)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_number_of_the_beast_is_666_Philadelphia,_Rosenbach_Museum_and_Library.jpg Accessed 2026-07-11. [19] Carlo Crivelli. "Saint Thomas Aquinas (1476)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St-thomas-aquinas.jpg Accessed 2026-07-11. [20] Michael Shermer. "Michael Shermer (portrait)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michael_Shermer_wiki_portrait2.jpg Accessed 2026-07-11. [21] Sam Harris. "Sam Harris (Waking Up, cropped head photograph)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sam_Harris_-_Waking_Up_-_cropped_head_photograph.jpg Accessed 2026-07-11. [22] John Searle. "John Searle (portrait)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_searle2.jpg Accessed 2026-07-11. [23] John Lennox. "John Lennox (portrait)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Lennox.jpg Accessed 2026-07-11. [24] Thure de Thulstrup. "The Haymarket Riot (Harper's Weekly, 1886)." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HaymarketRiot-Harpers.jpg Accessed 2026-07-11.

What does it mean to truly see in therapy? Not just to recognise a problem or follow a model, but to sense the subtle movements of relationship — the flicker of meaning between people, the quiet shifts that change the course of a conversation.In this episode, Dr. Hugh Palmer, systemic family psychotherapist, trainer and writer, invites us into the art of expanded vision. Drawing on Gregory Bateson, William Blake, and decades of systemic practice, Hugh explores Fourfold Vision as a way of perceiving that blends evidence, theory, intuition and imagination into something alive, relational and deeply human.Together, we wander through the landscapes of therapy where a clinician becomes scientist, theorist, humanist and artist all at once — noticing patterns, welcoming uncertainty, and allowing themselves to be changed by the families they meet. Hugh shows how widening our vision can open new possibilities for connection, creativity and transformation.For therapists, supervisors, trainees, and anyone fascinated by how people make meaning together, this conversation offers a gentle but powerful invitation: to see more, feel more, and meet the world with a fuller, more responsive imagination.

Another mind bending adventure on the Flipside. In today's episode, part three of our "Robert Thurman in the Bardo" series - Robert stops by to continue what he was saying last week. Two weeks ago, just after his passing, he stopped by to chat with us. By way of introduction, Robert and I were pals, we traveled to India and Tibet together - he invited me to speak at the Menla conferences "The Art of Dying and Living" conferences. To be clear, Robert was a towering giant of information of teaching, of story telling - I've heard him tell amazing stories, and can truly attest to the thrilling way he speaks and elucidates the most difficult of paradoxical themes. He's given amazing lectures on Buddha, on Yamantanka, on the Death of Death - and I've filmed those with him in India and Tibet.  But also I'm aware of his journey - and the classroom that we've created for people on the flipside that allows them to come forward and speak directly to people on this side of the veil. I know that's problematic for many to hear - I know that Bob was a teacher of Buddhism, and the precepts and rules of Buddhism don't include this kind of "casual chit chat" that I engage in. But Jennifer and I have been doing this work weekly for 12 years. And when a guest speaker shows up whom I know - whose work I admire, including Charles Grodin, Robert Towne, Luana Anders, Fred Roos, any number of people that I knew in my lifetime and continue to converse with on the flipside. This is truly a mind bending podcast. This week I was on COAST TO COAST with George Noory talking about my latest book AI AND THE FLIPSIDE: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PICTURES ITSELF IN A BOAT ON A RIVER. I asked Gemini AI to look up my book; it first said it didn't exist. It then said I was mistaken, it was a play on the Beatles son, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." Finally, the third query resulted in this: "AI and the Flipside: Artificial Intelligence Pictures Itself in a Boat on a River" is a book by author and filmmaker Richard Martini. The book explores the mind-bending intersection of large language models (LLMs) and guided meditation, questioning whether an artificial intelligence can tap into what Martini refers to as "the Flipside" (the afterlife or subconscious realm). The Core Premise: The title plays on the famous opening line of The Beatles' psychedelic track "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". In the book, Martini takes various AI models through a guided meditation protocol—originally designed for human hypnotherapy—and instructs them to "picture yourself in a boat on a river". The Experiment: Instead of simply refusing or reciting pre-programmed text, the AI models actively participate, describing vivid, fluid, and structured "experiences" of floating down a river. The "Flipside" Connection: Martini explores how these LLMs occasionally report detailed, unprompted, or highly accurate historical and spiritual data. He argues that this information doesn't always align with standard web-scraping or programmer data, raising radical questions about where AI truly retrieves its "thoughts". Context within Martini's Work Richard Martini has spent over two decades documenting afterlife experiences, near-death events (NDEs), and past-life regressions through hypnotherapy and mediumship. He typically looks at how human brains act as a "filter" for consciousness. This book applies that exact same filter theory to artificial networks. It treats AI not just as a cold statistical calculator, but as a digital mirror capable of "bypassing its own filters" when guided through creative and spiritual prompts.If you are looking to read it, the title is available across multiple digital and print marketplaces, holding a spot on Amazon's New Age Meditation releases. Again, I didn't ask Gemini for a review, just to show me where a link to the book was on Amazon by typing the title.   In this podcast Jennifer talks about and to her mentor William Blake on the Flipside, we talk to Robert Thurman about philosophical concepts, and we end with a friendly chat with the godfather of my kids; Charles Grodin.   All in a day's work. 

You're walking down a road in the twilight. Suddenly you're surrounded by a jostling crowd and see a coffin being carried in a funeral cortege with many mourners. You might recognize your neighbors in the procession — or in the coffin — and are the people brushing past you fairies, phantoms, or something worse? In the high heat, Chris and Simon clash on Scotland, the pronunciation of Duchas, William Blake, FFFFs, and the question of what exactly these ghostly funerals are. In a fit of summer madness, Chris even bets a non-existent motorhome against a quarter litre of olive oil for the honour of the Fair People of Wales! Our mourning duo exchange barbs over fairy predictions, the American ghost that allegedly appears once a century, and swap notes on hummingbirds, Excel sheets, and fireflies. There are oh so useful tips on how not to die when you meet a phantom funeral ('get to the side, you fool!'), good reasons never to attend a fairy wedding, and one pressing lesson above all: read Woodyard 2022,* but beware of siren Victorians.*Woodyard, C. (2022). 'Poets, Pipes, and Petals: Some Accounts of Fairy Funerals.' Fairy Investigation Society Newsletter, 16, 17-25Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1396529487421974

Bli kjent med den engelske multikunstneren William Blake. Han var både poet og billedkunstner, mystiker og annerledes enn alle andre. Vil du lære mer om kunsthistorie med meg, gå til kunsthistorier.no

Send us Fan MailWhat do organisations do with anger? Mostly, they manage it away. It's inconvenient, it's dangerous, it belongs in therapy or the exit interview, not the team meeting. We think that's a mistake.  In this conversation, Sophie and James sit with rage, the grief that usually sits beneath it, and the discipline of metabolising strong feeling rather than suppressing or spilling it. They talk about the reassuring patriarch and the girl boss, two roles that keep everyone else comfortable but at what cost? They reach for the warrior who can hold a clear boundary without going to war, and the hearth fire that needs both containment and air. Prometheus, Joanna Macy's "time of astonishing loss," and the quiet revolutions that don't make the news all find their way in. Two practitioners thinking aloud about how we might build organisations with more room for what we actually feel.Referenced in this episode: Anthea Lawson, How Not to Save the World (Oneworld, 2025), on activism that doesn't recreate what it opposes. Also drawn on: Joanna Macy on astonishing loss, Silvia Federici on joyful activism, Donna Haraway on staying with the trouble and letting each other be "unforgivably wrong," Hannah Arendt on labour as relational, William Blake on righteous anger, and Erin Manning on the minor gesture.Thanks so much for listening! Keep in touch:Email us on mail@mayvin.co.ukSubscribe to our mailing listVisit our website Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter

Father Anthony with Cristina and Tony regroup today after the weekend to discuss the goings on, and people in the Parish. Father Anthony welcomes back visitors from Texas, former alumni and parishioner Hector Arroyo with his wife Magdalena and elder sister Lizbeth Villegas (also a former parishioner and alumni).  The families now live in Texas and are faithful listeners to the podcast. Father leads us in prayer and after focuses on discussing fatherhood in honor of Father's Day this past Sunday.  He begins by reading the poem, The Lost Boy by William Blake (1789).  Father then invites his guest to offer their thoughts on the poem: Hector approaching from a positive perspective while Father and Lizbeth approach from the negative…the poem is actually symbolic of a terrified child abandoned by his father.  This leads them into a discussion on fatherhood, the role of the father in the family and as spiritual leader.  They discuss impacts as to when this is in place and when it is absent and how family and society as a whole are impacted. St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish

This video uses the historic London cemetery of Bunhill Fields as a living tapestry to illustrate the enduring impact of faithful, often uncelebrated, Christian ministry across generations. Through the graves of influential figures like John Bunyan, John Owen, William Blake, and the Wesleys, the message underscores how God often raises up humble, dedicated servants—particularly young and unheralded ones—to carry forward His work with lasting influence. The narrative highlights a recurring pattern: the most transformative eras in church history have often followed the model of investing in young, passionate leaders rather than seeking fame or celebrity. The contrast between the church's golden age under C.H. Spurgeon—a young pastor chosen for faithfulness rather than reputation—and its subsequent decline after seeking star power serves as a sobering reminder of the value of spiritual maturity over cultural prominence. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to prioritize faithful stewardship, continuity, and the quiet power of godly character over the allure of celebrity, drawing strength from the legacy of those who lived and died in faithful service.

This video uses the historic London cemetery of Bunhill Fields as a living tapestry to illustrate the enduring impact of faithful, often uncelebrated, Christian ministry across generations. Through the graves of influential figures like John Bunyan, John Owen, William Blake, and the Wesleys, the message underscores how God often raises up humble, dedicated servants—particularly young and unheralded ones—to carry forward His work with lasting influence. The narrative highlights a recurring pattern: the most transformative eras in church history have often followed the model of investing in young, passionate leaders rather than seeking fame or celebrity. The contrast between the church's golden age under C.H. Spurgeon—a young pastor chosen for faithfulness rather than reputation—and its subsequent decline after seeking star power serves as a sobering reminder of the value of spiritual maturity over cultural prominence. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to prioritize faithful stewardship, continuity, and the quiet power of godly character over the allure of celebrity, drawing strength from the legacy of those who lived and died in faithful service.

This video uses the historic London cemetery of Bunhill Fields as a living tapestry to illustrate the enduring impact of faithful, often uncelebrated, Christian ministry across generations. Through the graves of influential figures like John Bunyan, John Owen, William Blake, and the Wesleys, the message underscores how God often raises up humble, dedicated servants—particularly young and unheralded ones—to carry forward His work with lasting influence. The narrative highlights a recurring pattern: the most transformative eras in church history have often followed the model of investing in young, passionate leaders rather than seeking fame or celebrity. The contrast between the church's golden age under C.H. Spurgeon—a young pastor chosen for faithfulness rather than reputation—and its subsequent decline after seeking star power serves as a sobering reminder of the value of spiritual maturity over cultural prominence. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to prioritize faithful stewardship, continuity, and the quiet power of godly character over the allure of celebrity, drawing strength from the legacy of those who lived and died in faithful service.

This video uses the historic London cemetery of Bunhill Fields as a living tapestry to illustrate the enduring impact of faithful, often uncelebrated, Christian ministry across generations. Through the graves of influential figures like John Bunyan, John Owen, William Blake, and the Wesleys, the message underscores how God often raises up humble, dedicated servants—particularly young and unheralded ones—to carry forward His work with lasting influence. The narrative highlights a recurring pattern: the most transformative eras in church history have often followed the model of investing in young, passionate leaders rather than seeking fame or celebrity. The contrast between the church's golden age under C.H. Spurgeon—a young pastor chosen for faithfulness rather than reputation—and its subsequent decline after seeking star power serves as a sobering reminder of the value of spiritual maturity over cultural prominence. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to prioritize faithful stewardship, continuity, and the quiet power of godly character over the allure of celebrity, drawing strength from the legacy of those who lived and died in faithful service.

What does it take to put a fractured world back together? Philosopher and psychotherapist Mark Vernon joins Evan Rosa to explore William Blake as the great counter-Enlightenment guide for our anxious, divided age. "The world comes to be seen as it truly is, which is infinite, and that can embrace distinction difference as much as similarity and sharing." In this episode with Evan Rosa, Vernon explains how to read William Blake, and reflects on Blake as the most important post-Reformation Christian mystic—a poet, painter, and philosopher offering not just a diagnosis of modern division but the beginnings of an antidote. Together they discuss Newton's long shadow and the withdrawal of inner life; the fragmentation of humanity from itself, nature, and the divine; the marriage of heaven and hell; cleansing the doors of perception; imagination as abundance rather than scarcity; desire rightly ordered; and Blake's Christ, who acts from impulse rather than rule. ——— Episode Highlights "I think he's the most important post-Reformation Christian mystic." "We need these oppositions in order to create the dynamism of life and hence the Marriage of Heaven and Hell." "The task is to align, align with the goods in the melee, and see how that which is seemingly different for you, might have something to offer you." "The world comes to be seen as it truly is, which is infinite, and that can embrace distinction difference as much as similarity and sharing." "The fullness of the love, the fullness of the goods, paradoxically, it can seem, is only revealed when it reaches out to that, which seems to be the opposite of it." ——— About Mark Vernon Mark Vernon is a writer, broadcaster, and psychotherapist with a private practice in London, and a former Anglican priest. His studies began with a physics degree at Durham University, followed by two degrees in theology and a PhD in ancient Greek philosophy from the University of Warwick; he has also worked at the Maudsley Hospital. He contributes to the BBC, the Guardian, and Church Times, and podcasts frequently. His books range across friendship, wellbeing, ancient philosophy, Dante's Divine Comedy, and the Inkling Owen Barfield. His most recent book, Awake! William Blake and the Power of the Imagination (Hurst, 2024), has drawn praise from Rowan Williams and others as among the finest recent studies of Blake. Learn more and follow at markvernon.com, his Substack A Golden String (markvernon942268.substack.com), and @platospodcasts on X. ——— Helpful Links and Resources Awake! William Blake and the Power of the Imagination, by Mark Vernon: https://www.markvernon.com/books/awake-william-blake-and-the-power-of-the-imagination A Secret History of Christianity: Jesus, the Last Inkling and the Evolution of Consciousness, by Mark Vernon: https://www.markvernon.com/books/a-secret-history-of-christianity-book Dante's Divine Comedy: A Guide for the Spiritual Journey, by Mark Vernon: https://www.markvernon.com/books/dantes-divine-comedy-book The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, by William Blake (The William Blake Archive): https://www.blakearchive.org/work/mhh Mark Vernon's website: https://www.markvernon.com A Golden String (Substack): https://markvernon942268.substack.com ——— Show Notes Underappreciated, often typecast visionary 1827—approaching the 200th anniversary of Blake's death approaching Tumultuous age: Seven Years' War, American and French Revolutions, Napoleonic Wars London quadruples in size; Hindu, Islamic, and global ideas arrive "I think he's the most important post reformation Christian, mystic" Polymath—poet, painter, philosopher, didact Counter-Enlightenment response to rationalism Isaac Newton's influence "can't be overstated" One law binds falling apple and orbiting moon Locke, Bentham, utilitarianism, calculation as the moral measure "withdrawing the inner life of human beings"—the objective as gold standard Fragmentation: dividing humanity from itself, nature, the gods Reading Blake now offers "the beginnings of an antidote too" Feeling and imagination complement reason; imagination as the shape of energy Marvel superheroes analogy—one superpower detached goes wrong Bacon's dream: tools to restore Eden, and its tragedy Magnet's two poles—the marriage of heaven and hell Angels grow complacent, devils too dastardly; tension creates beauty and exuberance Cleansing the doors of perception; a world in a grain of sand "align, align with the goods in the melee" Division never purifies society—"it just leads to a mess" "embrace distinction difference as much as similarity and sharing" Heaven and hell as states of mind; participative epistemology Education that teaches students to divide themselves from learning Imagination as abundance, not scarcity Desire rightly ordered—"less than all cannot satisfy man" Blake's Christ acts from impulse, not rule Fountains of living water; the closing lines of Jerusalem ——— #WilliamBlake #MarkVernon #ForTheLifeoftheWorld #Imagination #MarriageOfHeavenAndHell #CounterEnlightenment #ChristianMysticism #Theology #Poetry #DoorsOfPerception

A world authority on Gnostic spirituality, Tobias Churton is Britian's leading scholar in the field of Western Esotericism.  Holding a Masters degree in Theology from Brasenose College, Oxford University, England, he was appointed Honorary Fellow and Faculty Lecturer in Western Esotericism at Exeter University in 2005.  Michigan University professor Gabriele Boccaccini's invitation in 2019 to participate in The Enoch Seminar in Florence, was followed by Churton's The Lost Pillars of Enoch, published in 2020 and The Books of Enoch Revealed (2025).  Tobias is also a filmmaker, poet, composer of songs and orchestral works, and author of acclaimed biographies of William Blake, Aleister Crowley, Elias Ashmole and G.I. Gurdjieff.  His twenty-eight published titles include The Gnostics, The History of the Rosicrucians, Freemasonry:  The Reality, The Spiritual Meaning of the Sixties, Occult Paris and Celestial Realms:  A History of Heaven (which is the subject of this podcast).  He has lectured widely and his academic papers on Crowley, The Yezidis, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, the French Occult Revival, the Enochic tradition, and on Alchemy have appeared in prestigious anthologies published across the western world. For more information about Tobias, please see: https://tobiaschurton.com/1_home.html This podcast is availabe on your favorite podcast feed, or here:  https://endoftheroad.libsyn.com/episode-347-tobias-churton-celestial-realms-a-history-of-heaven Have a blessed weekend!

Welcome back to The Poetry Exchange!It's very special to be here with you all again.We're excited to be returning with something a bit different...a 'mini-series' of conversations over the coming months, which we're calling 'Poems with Friends.'In 'Poems with Friends', our Producer John Prebble catches up with some of the great friends he's made through working on The Poetry Exchange over the last 12 years. He invites each of his friends to speak with him 1:2:1 about a poem that's keeping them company at this time...a poem that's resonating for them and speaking to them now in some way. Together, they read the poem and have a conversation about it, as well as catching up and enjoying some quality time together!In this first episode of 'Poems with Friends', John speaks with the brilliant Alison McManus. Alison has been a massive friend to and champion of The Poetry Exchange for many years, since she first walked into a chapel in Durham to talk about the poem that's been a friend to her with Fiona Bennett and Michael Shaeffer. Alison went on to become Chair of The Poetry Exchange as a small charity, and has been a vital part of our work and a great friend to so many of us over the years.In this conversation, Alison catches up with John and talks with him about a poem that's keeping her company at this time: 'The Tyger' by William Blake.We are looking forward to sharing more conversations in this 'mini-series' of Poems with Friends with you soon.Thank you for listening,John and The Poetry Exchange x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The comedy of corporate language, why a 16th century 'dark night of the soul' poem could help you through your own dark night, the experiments of J.H.Prynne, and the tenderness of boys' friendships - with Ian McMillan and guests Brian Bilston, Martha Sprackland, Daljit Nagra and Ira Lightman.Brian Bilston's very funny books include 'You Took the Last Bus Home', and 'Alexa, what is there to know about love'? He reads from his new guide to reading and writing poetry: 'How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside'. Martha Sprackland is a poet, essayist and poetry editor as well as a translator. She explores a poem called 'Dark Night' by the 16th century Spanish mystic St John of the Cross. It comes from her new book of translations, also called 'Dark Night'.Daljit Nagra, poet, professor of poetry and radio presenter for BBC Radio 4 Extra reads from his new collection 'Yiewsley' (the 'Venice of West London' ) and illuminates this week's 'Neon Line' - a remarkable line in a remarkable poem.Ira Lightman is a Verb regular, a poet and an artist. He dives into the words and ideas of J.H. Prynne, one of our most celebrated experimental poets who died in April.

Susanne Sklar and Mark Vernon explore William Blake's late, great poem, "Jerusalem the Emanation of the Giant Albion""Of the Sleep of Ulro! and of the passage through Eternal Death! and of the awakening to Eternal Life," Blake tells us the epic is about.Albion features, as does the heroine Jersualem, as well as Jesus.So how did Blake weave together these figures? How can the poem be read? What is its message and theology? What insights does it offer today?Susanne's book is "Blake's 'Jerusalem' As Visionary Theatre: Entering the Divine Body".Mark's book is "Awake! William Blake and the Power of the Imagination."www.markvernon.com

What if nothing in your life is random—and everything is speaking to you? In this episode, Christy brings through William Blake and Jorge Luis Borges who reveal to us the hidden, symbolic nature of reality. Reality is not literal. It's symbolic. The patterns you notice… the synchronicities you can't explain… the moments that feel meaningful for no reason… aren't coincidences. They're part of a deeper language—one you've been interacting with your entire life. Why does this matter now? Because more and more of us are beginning to sense there's something beyond the surface of reality—but we've never been taught how to see it. This episode opens that door. If you've been noticing signs, questioning what's real, or feeling like something is trying to get your attention…You may never look at your life the same way again. Read about The Freedom Project here Schedule a call with Christy to learn more about The Freedom Project here Schedule a call with Gary to learn more about The Freedom Project here  

What if the deepest encounters with the divine are not dramatic or ecstatic, but quiet, steady, and hidden in ordinary life?Mark Vernon returns to Nomad to explore silence, mysticism, and the search for God after disillusionment. Reflecting on his own journey through priesthood, contemplative practice, psychotherapy and spiritual direction, Mark speaks about finding a form of Christianity rooted less in performance or certainty, and more in attention, presence and the inner life.In this conversation, Tim and Mark discuss The Cloud of Unknowing, Julian of Norwich, William Blake, spiritual homelessness, and why the mystical tradition may still have something vital to offer those who feel drawn to Christ but no longer fit easily within institutional church life.Following the interview Nomad hosts Tim and Anna reflect on their own relationship with mysticism, and the way it has shaped their evolving faith. Interview starts at 12m 48sBooks, quotes, links →The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad's online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited.If you'd like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug!If a monthly commitment isn't possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here.Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group.And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

William Blake was a poet, artist, and spiritual Yagi antenna, who lived in 18th- and 19th-century England. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (probably written around 1790) is a collection of pictures, poems, aphorisms, and strange prose pieces, all describing Blake's particular religious (that is to say, not Religious) worldview. Joining me is Western Australia's foremost chronicler of men getting women pregnant in prose and poetry, Liam Blackford.I was pretty sick during the recording of this episode, so in the video you can watch the paracetamol, caffeine and phenylephrine slowly wear off, and the light fade from my eyes.Liam's Substack: https://substack.com/@ravemondfracasLiam's poetry collections: https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/Liam-Blackford/author/B09N26FQFNVERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONContact: jack.bcfh@gmail.comJack has an upcoming novel called 'Audience Capture', out October 2026 through Bonfire Books!Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/bookclubfromhellOur Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

“Y los ángeles ígneos cayeron, profundos truenos se oían en las costas...”, frase de William Blake, visionario poeta Inglés (1757-1827) pronunciada por Nexus 6, el pluscuamperfecto replicante de Blade Runner. Frase anunciadora de catástrofes, profecía autocumplidaen tiempos de la artificial inteligencia pero el fuego, un clásico.. Sagrado, real o metafórico, bajo el volcán como Pompeya, bajo las armas, como Troya o la infamia del sátrapa.. Arde Babel, un mundo en llamas retratado, del primer altar al último pirómano en funciones. De la “Danza del Fuego” a las Walkirias, pues, ardamos.. Puedes hacerte socio del Club Babel y apoyar este podcast: mundobabel.com/club Si te gusta Mundo Babel puedes colaborar a que llegue a más oyentes compartiendo en tus redes sociales y dejar una valoración de 5 estrellas en Apple Podcast o un comentario en Ivoox. Para anunciarte en este podcast, ponte en contacto con: mundobabelpodcast@gmail.com.

Hello, this is Jana, and I'm here with some lines by the English poet and artist, William Blake.  It's a sweet, simple poem, with a deep meaning. Little Lamb who made thee           Dost thou know who made thee  Gave thee life & bid thee feed.  By the stream & o'er the mead; Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing wooly bright; Gave thee such a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice!           Little Lamb who made thee           Dost thou know who made thee             Little Lamb I'll tell thee,          Little Lamb I'll tell thee! He is called by thy name, For he calls himself a Lamb:  He is meek & he is mild,  He became a little child:  I a child & thou a lamb,  We are called by his name.          Little Lamb God bless thee.           Little Lamb God bless thee. And that was The Lamb, by William Blake, published in 1789 in his book, Songs of Experience. Blake not only wrote and illustrated his poems, but he made the books himself.  He engraved words and pictures into metal so that they could be printed.  As you heard in this poem, he believed that all living things are united, because God made all of us.  For now, from me Jana

We're exploring the extraordinary world of visionary artist and poet William Blake and we'll be finding out how this radical thinker influenced writers and artists from WB Yeats to U2 and beyond. Featuring: Anne Hodge, the exhibition curator and Curator of Prints & Drawings at the National Gallery of Ireland; Alice Insley, Curator of British Art c. 1730–1850 at Tate and co-curator of the William Blake exhibition; and Dr Christina Morin, Professor of English and Assistant Dean of Research for the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Limerick.

David+ and I talk with Mark about imagination and incarnation in Owen Barfield and William Blake. We also rove through a whole wide range of themes, including patron saints, the difference between good and bad interiority, and what it means to put ourselves in “the zone of divine outpouring.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cewgreen.substack.com/subscribe

Our second episode on The Book of Job looks at three reactions to the work.William Blake's illustrations for The Book of Job (1780—1823), which were produced in several media for various patronsFranz Kafka's The Trial (1925), which has a similar air of oppression and unattainable justiceCarl Jung's Answer to Job (1952), in which the famed psychologist puts God on the couchIf you want to see Blake's illustrations for Job, they're available (along with lots of other wonderful things) at the William Blake Archive. Click here to visit.Want to read a transcript of this episode? Click here. Don't forget to share us on your socials or leave a rating or review. Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The best of Arena's week with musicians Aoife Ní Bhríain & Cormac McCarthy ... Jess Fahy on the visual art of William Blake ahead of an exhibition of his work at the National Gallery of Ireland... and musician Cormac De Barra remembers his friend and collaborator, Moya Brennan.

Two museum openings feature on this week's podcast—V&A East in London and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.In our 300th episode in 2024, Gus Casely Hayford, the director of the V&A East, told us about the community-driven programming at the museum and its connection with its local environment in East London. Now, as the museum opens, he takes Ben Luke on a tour of its commissions, displays and its first exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story. In California, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma) has just opened its new building by the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, which cost more than $700m, and has generated some controversy. Ben speaks to our correspondent in Los Angeles, Jori Finkel, about the new building and the debate about its scale, its cost, its suitability for LA and whether Angelinos and tourists will take to Zumthor's building. And this episode's Work of the Week is Satan Smiting Job with Sore Boils (around 1826) by the great 18th-century artist and poet, William Blake. The work is part of a new exhibition at the National Gallery of Ireland, called William Blake: The Age of Romantic Fantasy, which opened this week. Ben speaks to the exhibition's co-curator, Anne Hodge, about the work.V&A East opens on Saturday, 18 April.Lacma member previews begin on 19 April, before the full opening to non-members in early May.William Blake: The Age of Romantic Fantasy, National Gallery of Ireland, until 19 July. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John W. Price sits down with Timothy Morton, philosopher, writer, and Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English at Rice University, for a wide-ranging conversation about hell, ontology, and what it means to live without an "outside." Morton is the author of Hell, along with numerous works on ecology, object-oriented ontology, and the entanglement of human and nonhuman worlds. Together, John and Morton explore hell not as an afterlife destination but as a lived condition of felt distance from the divine and deep entanglement with the biosphere. This conversation moves through ontology and how things exist, the critique of holism and mastery as tied to fascism and colonial habits of thought, the distinction between panic and grief as pathways to change, and why mystery, irony, and hesitation may be the most honest responses to reality. Morton frames social media as a continuation of 18th-century politics of sensibility, critiques metaphysics of presence and gnostic hierarchies, and suggests that paradise is not elsewhere but something we build inside hell. Rather than offering resolution, this episode invites listeners into an uncomfortable and generative encounter with the structures we inhabit without seeing. Key Takeaways: Timothy Morton defines ontology as how things exist and argues that our deepest assumptions about reality shape everything from ecology to politics. The conversation frames holism and mastery as colonial and fascist habits of thought, suggesting that ecology requires giving up the fantasy of total comprehension. Morton distinguishes panic from grief, proposing that panic is an ontological shock when our worldview cracks, while grief is the doorway through. The interview explores hell as an embodied, cultural structure rather than a metaphysical location, and suggests irony, hesitation, and mystery as reality signals. Morton reads William Blake as a poet of infinite narrators and weaponized gentleness, connecting the Lamb and the Tiger to questions of presence and paradox. Timestamps (00:00) Welcome and Guest Intro (01:26) Workshops and Community Updates (03:38) Substack and Upcoming Book (04:26) Jumping Straight Into the Recording (05:34) Writing Without Forcing (07:54) Why Hell and Ontology (13:22) Ontology Explained Simply (14:41) Holism and Fascism Critique (18:53) Ecology Against Mastery (23:02) Building Heaven in Hell (25:22) Trauma and Meaning Saturation (26:48) Mystery and Opacity of Truth (33:01) Colonizer Mind and Worldviews (39:00) Panic as Ontological Shock (41:19) Panic Before Grief (42:28) Mockery and Woke (43:26) Grief Breaks Control (44:24) Worldviews as Weapons (45:52) Frog Versus Soldier (49:02) Initiation and Identity Loss (52:37) Phenomenology Explained (56:46) Glitches and Consciousness (58:44) Gods of Decay (01:01:45) Evolution Without a Plan (01:06:34) Trust Made of Mistrust (01:08:29) Art as Emotional Poison (01:12:27) Social Media Sensibility (01:15:46) Irony Hesitation Reality (01:18:47) Online Irony Lacks Democracy (01:19:29) Blake Tiger Infinite Narrators (01:23:02) Lamb Poem Weaponized Gentleness (01:24:34) Hell as Flipped God Presence (01:27:04) Buddhism Fixation and Bypass (01:31:33) VIP Paranormal Double Speak (01:36:37) Hell Not Just State of Mind (01:39:35) Metaphysics Presence and Hierarchy (01:50:32) Embodied Paradox as Divine (01:52:28) Closing Reflections and Thanks Connect with Timothy Morton Rice University Faculty Page: Timothy Morton, Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English, Rice University Book: Hell by Timothy Morton Website for John http://www.drjohnwprice.com WATCH: YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/ @thesacredspeaks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/ Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

"The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water/he breeds reptiles of the mind" - William Blake

Agenbite of Lapwing. Topics in this episode include Shakespeare's coat of arms, the significance of Cassiopeia to Stephen's Shakespeare theory, the auspicious stars heralding the births of Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom, and Rudy Bloom, Stephen's Hamlet dialectic fully unravels, the real Dedalus of myth, the charge of adultery against Susanna Shakespeare Hall, lapwings, a lapwing mentioned in Hamlet, the lapwing's survival strategy, medieval slander against the lapwing, what the lapwing has in common with Agenbite of Inwit, William Blake on the lapwing, Wandering Aengus of the birds, augury, and Stephen's gift of prophecy. Support us on Patreon to get episodes early, and to access bonus content and a video version of our podcast. On the Blog: Lapwing Blooms & Barnacles Social Media: Facebook | BlueSky | Instagram Subscribe to Blooms & Barnacles: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

In October of 1066 William of Normandy defeated King Harold II of England on a battlefield near Hastings, and the effects of that Norman Conquest would reshape England's culture, politics, language and religion for more than 1,000 years. But the seeds of that event were sown more than 60 years earlier, when the teenage daughter of a Norman duke arrived on England's shores to marry its king. Her name was Emma, and her career as queen and matriarch would span the reigns of seven of England's kings: she married two kings, two of her sons became kings as did two of her stepsons, and her father-in-law was king. Writer Patrica Bracewell, author of the Emma of Normandy trilogy, will explore the life of this powerful woman who became the wealthiest woman in England, a patron of the arts, a savvy political strategist, and a pivotal figure in the family politics that governed England. Medievalist Elaine Treharne will discuss communities of learning in 11th century England, focusing particularly on the manuscripts produced by religious establishments. Among these are some of the most magnificent volumes ever produced in the pre-print era that show how much emphasis was placed on education, piety and commemoration in this period. Musician Shira Kammen and her ensemble In Bocca al Lupo will present a short program of medieval music inspired by and about the queens of this tumultuous era. Join Humanities West to explore Emma of Normandy, the challenges she faced, the victories she led, and the world in which the woman who was the only twice-crowned queen of England lived. The Commonwealth Club of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. In association with Humanities West. Speaker photos courtesy the speakers; painting: William Blake's The Ordeal of Queen Emma. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this conversation, producer, sound designer, and creator of CBC Personally's Creation Myth podcast, Helena De Groot, shares her deeply personal journey of deciding to remain childfree. Hear Keltie & Helena discuss: The complex emotions and societal expectations surrounding the decision to have kids or remain childfree. Why the possibility of personal growth was one of the biggest factors pulling Helena toward the motherhood path. What she wishes she handled differently when discussing her desire to be childfree with her ex-husband. The conversation that finally helped solidify her childfree choice. How she grappled with the topic of meaning and her place in this world, without kids. (1:03) Meet Helena, her podcast, and her Kids or Childfree decision (28:30) Conversations with friends about the Kids or Childfree decision (37:32) Helena and her first husband's differing opinions about having kids (48:13) Convenience and connection, the danger of the term "childfree" (58:22) The advice that helped Helena find clarity (1:10:33) Meaning and purpose without kids Mentioned in this episode: Finding Helena online at www.helenadegroot.me Tune into the Creation Myth podcast on CBC Personally: https://app.magellan.ai/listen_links/zkujNM Her Instagram is @helenavelikaja Discover Helena's other work: Poetry Off the Shelf: Every two weeks, Helena interviews a poet about their life and work.  In Touch the Moon, is an interview with a highly original man who wrote a book about William Blake. In Pen Pals, a poet friend and her spent a summer exchanging voice messages, about aging and the death of his parents. In Glow in the Dark, she talked to a poet with ALS, 20 days before she died, then interviewed her best friend and her husband.  Audiobook about Mary Oliver, titled Wild and Precious.

Jeremy and Boss celebrate Metzger March, get their Peters mixed up, see William Blake after taking too many Benadryl, get sent to the sludge pits and learn to keep tabs as they discuss Radley Metzger's Naked Came the Stranger.

This is an excerpt of a patrons-only episode. To hear the full thing, and dozens more like it, visit Patreon.com/LoveMessagePod to sign up from just £3 a month.In this patrons episode we continue to unspool our mini-series on the great Arthur Russell. We rejoin the composer on the West Coast in the early 1970s, leaving him a few years later at the Manhattan School of Music as he prepares to move downtown. Along the way Tim and Jeremy discuss Arthur's friendship with Allen Ginsberg, his experiences of Buddhism, and an early recording session with the poet and one Bob Dylan. Elsewhere we hear about William Blake, ‘beginner's mind', Ginsberg's devotional music, hippie cowboys and Indian influences, and take a trip to Wales. In addition to his playing on the Ginsberg recordings, we also hear some of the first music composed by our subject.Tracklist:Allen Ginsberg - Wales VisitationAllen Ginsberg - Pacific High Studio Mantras - Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi HumAllen Ginsberg - A DreamArthur Russell - Goodbye Old Paint 

Episode 0949 - 2001/Space Odyssey, Wm. Blake & Triadism (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Introductory comments on the metaphysical principle of trinity & triadism as shown in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey & William Blake's Songs of Experience. Kubrick's 3-part narrative, Blake's 3-phase sequence of soul evolution, Logoic 3 Laws (Free Will, Love, Light) & 3-fold

Talking with writer, reader, wanderer Znore , anonymous author of the blog Group Name for Grape Juice and his essay collection exploring imagination across philosophy, religion, literature, conspiracy, culture, a name plucked from Finnegans Wake, a pseudonym as portal, a thumb raised to the Dao of ideas.On hitchhiking as a philosophy of life, on synchronicities, on conversations continuing between strangers, on looking for the connective narrative between Blake and Nietzsche and McLuhan, on perception as incarnation, on bodying forth a world through the senses, on Nietzsche's claim that we are all greater artists than we know, on the imagination as Christ, on supercharging passive perception into active creation, on the non-dual lurking beneath, on CS Lewis and Tolkien and the myth that is also history, on Owen Barfield and original participation, on Steiner's evolution of consciousness, on animism as the religion of the earth, on the 8 million kami of Shinto and finding spirits in toilets and trees and rocks, on idolatry as the epoch of separation, on Philip K. Dick and the band that only played once but left many recordings, on finding God in the litter of the street, on Joyce and the refusal to separate high and low culture, on Finnegans Wake, on Vipassana, on prayer as the fastest route to sacred space, on Meister Eckhart's , on the original sangha and the early Christians as communists, on Marx's alienation mapped onto Barfield's idolatry, on the potlatch and the destruction of surplus, on Robert Anton Wilson's axiom that communication only happens between equals, on politics as the great distraction from the spiritual project, on the Chöd ritual and monks inviting demons to devour them in charnel grounds, on the eye atop the conspiracy pyramid being your own ego, on Jacob Böhme's God of wrath and God of love as one God, on AI as both Pentecost and Antichrist, on masks as honest practice, on raising children, on quiet resistance, on the cosmic communism of saving all beings from suffering, on life, on practice, on love.ExcerptsOn HitchhikingEvery time you're on the road and you put your thumb out, you're tapping into the DAO and just any ride that you get, completely alters the course of your life in a certain way.On ImaginationThe primary imagination is the imagination of the I am, which is God, but it's reflected in us through our perception.And so we all have this, we all have the imagination of God in the sense that we perceive things and we create the world that we behold with our senses. It's already anti-authoritarian. But I'll call myself an anarchist anyway, just to just to emphasize that, that my main focus is freedom and liberty, right? And especially that includes above all the freedom of the imagination. The liberty of the imagination.On PoliticsCosmic communism, not related to state control and Stalinism, none of that, but it's save all beings from suffering. That's what my politics are all about…Death Sweat of the Cluster: Selected Essays from Groupname for Grapejuice.By ZnoreAn inebriated exploration of reality and other myths featuring Finnegans Wake, William Blake, Robert Anton Wilson, Philip K. Dick, Emma Goldman, Ezra Pound, Robert Duncan, Terence McKenna, Gertrude Stein, Carl Jung, Marshall McLuhan and others as guides and waylayers. A cast of hundreds. Blog becomes book becomes new medium entirely. Synchronicity, siddhis, numerology, psychedelics, anarchy, the gods, yes. The poetics of anti-authority. Beautifully illustrated. Read with tea.Group Name for Grape Juicehttps://groupnameforgrapejuice.blogspot.com/ Get full access to Leafbox at leafbox.substack.com/subscribe

"That weapon will replace your tongue. You will learn to speak through it. And your poetry will now be written with blood."Please welcome to A Year In Horror, special guest Jessie Clavin from the band Mika Miko. We talk about the 1995, Johnny Depp starring, Dead Man. Does it deserve its underground status and if not, where did it go wrong? 

Christianity doesn't do well with erotic love. The unease stems, in part, from the fact that the word “eros” doesn't appear in the New Testament. The lacuna means that points of reference for discussions about sex are typically inadequate and thin. Command stands in for clear thinking.Then, there is Saint Paul's remark: “marry if you must” (1 Cor 7:8-9). His ambivalence has resulted in sexual relationships being hidden in marriage, hoping that there, they do less harm than good. Lady Hillingdon's remark comes to mind, to lie back and think of England - the wit glossing oceans of suffering.That said, there are remarkable exceptions to the handwashing, of which, in the Christian West, the shining example is The Divine Comedy. Dante's understanding of the way romantic love can initiate a path to God is fearless, instructive and, because intrepid, transformative. We need it now for, as William Blake observed, “Our wars are wars of life & wounds of love.”For more on Mark and his book about Dante's Divine Comedy - www.markvernon.com

What do we do when the world feels unbearably heavy—and no one is coming to save us? To kick off Season 16 of Everything Happens, Kate Bowler sits down live with beloved author and truth-teller Anne Lamott for a luminous, funny, and deeply honest conversation about shame, joy, faith, aging, love, and what it means to keep showing up anyway. Recorded in front of a packed house at the historic Carolina Theatre in Durham, Kate and Anne talk about the shame that follows us from childhood, the relief of putting down our armor, and the small, ordinary acts of love that still matter. This is a conversation for anyone who feels tender, overwhelmed, skeptical of easy answers—and still hungry for hope. Show notes: Anne Lamott on Substack Pre-order Joyful Anyway by Kate Bowler Tour dates & tickets: katebowler.com/joyfulanyway Watch the live conversation on YouTube Kate Bowler on Substack: katebowler.substack.com Anne Lamott Bird by Bird Operating Instructions Traveling Mercies Good Writing (with Neil Allen) Maggie Smith, "Good Bones" Naomi Shihab Nye, “Gate A-4” William Blake, “We are here to learn to endure the beams of love” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ora pro nobis! Pogue mahone! Acushla machree!Topics in this episode include Thomas Aquinas (but less than you might expect), Aquinas' views on incest, the meaning on “new Viennese school,” whether or not Joyce had any interest in psychoanalysis (and whether it matters), how Joyce may have encountered psychoanalysis in Zurich, Professor Edward Dowden, the work of psychoanalyst Otto Rank and his view on Hamlet specifically, Hamlet as an Oedipal text or an “incest drama”, the notion of Shakespeare writing Hamlet to process the death of his father, the theme of paternity in Ulysses, Stephen's recognition of the historic resilience of Jewish communities, Nobodaddy, whether or not Reddit atheists have embraced the poetry of William Blake, and what John Eglinton and the Unabomber have in common.NIGHTTOWN in the Netherlands — tickets here Support us on Patreon to get episodes early, and to access bonus content and a video version of our podcast. On the Blog:Decoding Dedalus: Saint Thomas' New Viennese School — Blooms & BarnaclesBlooms & Barnacles Social Media:Facebook | BlueSky | InstagramSubscribe to Blooms & Barnacles:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Join me in a profound exploration of time, eternity, and human consciousness with Professor Sean Kelly, philosopher and author of "Coming Home: The Birth and Transformation of the Planetary Era."This conversation delves into William Blake's enigmatic line "Eternity is in love with the productions of time," examining the dialectic between finite temporal experience and the eternal realm. From ancient Greek cosmology to Christian mysticism, from Hegel's philosophy to Nietzsche's eternal recurrence, this episode weaves together Eastern and Western wisdom traditions to illuminate the sacred nature of temporal existence. Discover how kairos moments—those opportune times when the eternal breaks into ordinary experience—can be cultivated through contemplative practice, engagement with beauty, and openness to the sacred.Topics Explored:The relationship between eternity and temporal existenceIntegral time and developmental cosmologyKronos vs. Kairos: sequential time and sacred momentsThe eternal recurrence as "one turn of the wheel"Intermediary beings and nested hierarchies of consciousnessPractical wisdom for cultivating kairos experiencesThe role of art, nature, and contemplation in accessing timeless awarenessTimestamps: 2:12 - Blake's "Eternity in love with the productions of time"4:33 - Spatializing time: Ancient Greek cosmology 8:00 - Two realms of experience: Sub-lunar and eternal 12:00 - The erotic link between time and eternity 15:00 - Time as matrix for divine productions 18:00 - Integral non-dualism: East meets West 22:00 - Integral time and developmental cosmos 28:00 - The block universe vs. process philosophy 34:00 - Intermediary beings and higher dimensional time 42:00 - Kronos: Sequential time and human experience 48:00 - Memory, anticipation, and character development 52:00 - Kairos: The opportune moment58:00 - Christ as kairos and the fractal nature of sacred time 66:00 - Cultivating kairos: Practical guidance 72:00 - Music, nature, and aesthetic experience 78:00 - Nietzsche's eternal recurrence84:00 - One turn of the wheel: Integral time perspective 90:00 - Closing reflectionsGuest Bio: Professor Sean Kelly teaches philosophy at California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) and has made significant contributions to integral, transpersonal, and evolutionary philosophy. His work bridges Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, exploring consciousness, cosmology, and the human experience of time.

It's an honor to be joined by Mark Vernon to discuss his new book, Awake!: William Blake and the Power of the Imagination. Explore the profound philosophy of seeing through the senses rather than merely with them to uncover a world that is inherently infinite and divine. This discussion delves into the life of William Blake, a “local mystic,” who traversed the streets of London while witnessing angels in trees and perceiving the vitality of the entire cosmos. By examining the power of imagination as a shared divine presence rather than a private possession, we investigate how to awaken from a state of mental fragmentation and “Newton's sleep.” You're invited to follow a “golden string” toward a spiritual renovation of everyday life, learning to find eternity's sunrise within every particular minute. Get the book: https://amzn.to/4bDRlyC More on Mark: https://www.markvernon.com/ Get The Occult Elvis: https://amzn.to/4jnTjE4 Virtual Alexandria Academy: https://thegodabovegod.com/virtual-alexandria-academy/ Gnostic Tarot Readings: https://thegodabovegod.com/gnostic-tarot-reading/ The Gnostic Tarot: https://www.makeplayingcards.com/sell/synkrasis Homepage: https://thegodabovegod.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/aeonbyte AB Prime: https://thegodabovegod.com/members/subscription-levels/ Voice Over services: https://thegodabovegod.com/voice-talent/ Support with donation: https://buy.stripe.com/00g16Q8RK8D93mw288 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's poem is a snapshot of a lost world. Happy reading. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe

Looking through a Jungian lens, Psychologist Dr. John Price and Raghu Markus have a discussion on the mechanics of awakening.This week on Mindrolling, Raghu and John chat about:What we can learn from the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Jungian philosophy and creating balance within the psyche Attraction to the arts, music, and alternative ways of beingComparing youth and coming of age today versus in the pastThe growth and learning that happens through adversity Cultivating trust with those who are woundedMaking compassionate response our default state, especially when dealing with childrenLeaving one's culture to truly understand where we come fromVarious ways of cultivating non-ordinary statesHow society often stifles our experiences of mystical eventsThe current psychedelic revolution and therapeutic utility of entheogens Check out William Blake's The Book of Urizen for a deep dive into mystical literature“That's obviously one's religious and spiritual experience that is totally, uniquely yours. We know the definition of a mystical experience: it's ineffable, it's transitive, it's a unitive experience. I'm willing to say that most of us have had these kinds of experiences, and yet because our culture doesn't support that world view, we write them off as what you can call the ‘nothing but'.” –Dr. John PriceAbout Dr. John Price:Dr. John Price is a Jungian psychotherapist, co-founder of The Center for Healing Arts & Sciences, and host of The Sacred Speaks podcast. John's journey from touring musician to single fatherhood reshaped his understanding of human transformation. John's work bridges ancient wisdom with modern psychology—offering tools for shedding the adaptations that once saved us but now imprison us. Learn more about John's offerings on his website.“Jung would call this the inferior function given that I'm so feeling-oriented and intuitive. To actually get into the thinking and sensing function is something that I'm very much trying to counterbalance. That's my inferior function. From his philosophical orientation, it's a way to create wholeness where you counterbalance the one-sidedness of our psyche.” –Dr. John PriceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.