Podcasts about Zoroastrianism

As missiles fly between Tehran and Tel Aviv, I'm joined by Iranian dissident Danial Taghaddos to make sense of a rapidly escalating war—and what it means for the future of Iran, Israel, and the region. Danial moved to Australia in 2018 and became politically active during the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests. A royalist and advocate for a return to constitutional monarchy under the Pahlavi dynasty, he's emerged as a compelling voice in the Iranian diaspora, challenging both the Islamic Republic and the Western narratives that often obscure the regime's abuses.In this episode, we talk about Iran's nuclear ambitions, what the regime actually wants from this war, and how Zoroastrianism and Persian identity shape Iranian views on Israel. We also unpack how the Iranian diaspora organizes abroad, why many Iranians support Israel despite the regime's propaganda, and how the West continues to misunderstand the Islamic Republic. From public executions to political repression—and threat of Islamism and regime spies operating in the West—this conversation is a sobering look at the human cost of Tehran's ambitions, and a hopeful one about the people resisting from within and without. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I never provide shorts here, but let me know if this is something you'd dig, oh, you heretics in the podcast domains. An electric short where Jason connects these three figures. He also takes us on a profound and sometimes shocking journey through Zoroastrianism, Taoism, and the Greco-Roman World. Get The Occult Elvis: https://amzn.to/4jnTjE4 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/ Virtual Alexandria Academy: https://thegodabovegod.com/virtual-alexandria-academy/ Voice Over services: https://thegodabovegod.com/voice-talent/ Support with donation: https://buy.stripe.com/00g16Q8RK8D93mw288Stream All Astro Gnosis Conferences for the price of one: https://thegodabovegod.com/replay-sophia/

The Legacy of Zoroastrianism for Judaism, Christianity and Islam: Part IV: Synopsis

This week, on The Conscious Consultant Hour, Sam welcomes Professor, Pastor, and Author, Douglas M. Gillette.Douglas Gillette, has a master of religious studies degree from the University of Chicago and a master of divinity degree from the Chicago Theological Seminary. He taught in the Emeritus Program at Oakton College for nearly two decades as well as served as a pastor, pastoral counselor, and a Jungian-influenced life guide.The bestselling author of several books, including King, Warrior, Magician, Lover coauthored with Robert Moore. His latest book is Soul Making - The Realization of the Mystical Life.Through his own story of spiritual self-realization, Douglas explores the paradox that lies at the heart of the quest for union with the Divine. Those of us on the mystical path are each working on our souls to better reflect their Divine nature, yet we are already reflections of the Divine. To help you embrace this paradox, Douglas provides mythic stories of soul development and intuition from Maya and Pythagorean traditions, ancient Egyptian thought, and Zoroastrianism.He shows how embracing the power of emotions like wonder, dread, and awe, provide a mirror that allows us to see ourselves as infinite and immortal people on finite and mortal adventures.Tune in and share all of your questions and comments about having a mystical life on our YouTube livestream or on our Facebook page.amzn.to/4kdaF6Phttps://amzn.to/3SA1gdKdouglasgillettecreations.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-conscious-consultant-hour8505/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Legacy of Zoroastrianism for Judaism, Christianity and Islam Part III: Zoroastrian Cosmology Keywords #Zoroastrianism; #Zarathustra; #AhuraMazda; #AngraMainyu; #GoodVsEvil; #AncientReligions;#IndoIranian; #DevaVsDaeva; #VedicHinduism; #ReligiousHistory; #Apocalypse; #Resurrection; #SecondTempleJudaism; #OriginsOfSatan; #HeavenAndHell; #Sheol; #AncientPhilosophy; #PersianEmpire; #ReligiousEvolutionSummary

This week on F.A.T.E. (From Atheism to Enlightenment), I sit down with Douglas Hodgson— former law professor, University Dean, and author—who has spent years digging into one of humanity's biggest questions: What happens when we die?Douglas has researched near-death experiences, explored ancient texts, and studied every major religion—from Buddhism to Zoroastrianism—in search of answers. Together, we explore whether death is an ending, a beginning, or something far more mystical. Is Death a portal to the spiritual realm? A rebirth back to our true nature?  Can we release our fear of Death?This is a grounded yet expansive conversation about consciousness, transition, and the sacred unknown. Don't miss this powerful episode as we try to reframe death as a transistion not the end.  DOUGLAS HODGSON BOOK: "Spiritual Revelations from Beyond the Veil"Amazon.com: Spiritual Revelations from Beyond the Veil: What Humanity Can Learn from the Near Death Experience: 9781803413402: Hodgson, Douglas Charles: Books DOUGLAS HODGSON BOOK: "Near Death Experiences and Sacred Scripture"Amazon.com: Near Death Experiences and Sacred Scripture: The Parallel Messaging: 9781803415758: Hodgson, Douglas Charles: Books******SUPPORT THE SHOW*** BUY MY BOOK****** BOOK BABY: - *Preferred method* Higher residual here.https://store.bookbaby.com/book/mr-pickles-and-maggie AMAZON: Mr. Pickles & Maggie: A "Tail" of True Friendship: Busby, Christy: 9781667811918: Amazon.com: Books **************LEAVE A RATING**** FOR THE SHOW******* Please leave a RATING or REVIEW (on your podcast listening platform) or Subscribe to my YouTube Channel. Click on link below to follow the show. https://linktr.ee/f.a.t.e.podcast *********CONTACT THE SHOW VIA EMAIL BELOW************ Email: fromatheismtoenlightenment@gmail.com

Zoroaster and Abrahamic Religions Part II: From Zoroaster to MosesSummaryIn this episode, we explore how sacred histories are not always straightforward records of the past, but deeply layered narratives shaped by memory, theology, and retrospective meaning. From the retroactive storytellingstructures in Abrahamic texts to the haunting poetic legacy of the Gāthās in Zoroastrianism, we reflect on the challenges of tracing historical truth amidst mythic resonance. Why do prophets appear fully formed in scripture? How do traditions remember and reshape their origins? And what makes Zoroaster such a singular figure in the history of religious thought? Join me as we peel back the layers of sacred memory and step into the luminous, elusive world ofsalvation narratives.Keywords#Zoroaster; #PhilosophyOfReligion; #CulturalMemory; #SacredTexts; #Gathas; #Zoroastrianism; #HistoryOfReligion; #SalvationHistory; #ReligiousNarratives; #PropheticTradition; #EthicalMonotheism; #MythAndMemory; #ReligiousOrigins; #OralTradition; #SpentaAndAngra; #Zarathustra;#AncientWisdom

Questions? Comments? Text Us!In this special episode of The Life Wisdom Project Jerry L. Martin is joined by acclaimed horror author, essayist, and religious thinker Matt Cardin for a profound exploration of divine duality, Zoroastrian cosmology, and the moral landscape of good and evil.Together, they dive into God's revelations to the prophet Zoroaster as recounted in God: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher, unpacking a worldview where life is not a passive unfolding — but an active battlefield between light and darkness, truth and illusion. Through the lens of Zoroastrianism and Manichaean thought, the conversation traces how spiritual maturity demands we choose a side — not in tribal allegiance, but in moral clarity and existential responsibility.Matt Cardin brings his unique background at the crossroads of religion, metaphysical horror, and philosophical inquiry to the fore. The episode confronts some of the most challenging spiritual insights from the book, including:“Most spiritually attuned people are not truth seekers.”“To look evil in the face is a spiritual act.”“My aspects have a life of their own and go wayward.”These statements form the foundation for a dialogue about spiritual integration, shadow work, divine self-awareness, and the lived tension between peace and calamity — as illustrated in both Zoroaster's vision and Isaiah 45, where God declares, “I form the light and create darkness.”The episode also explores how horror writing, when used with spiritual intent, can serve as a radical form of not turning away — of confronting the hidden, the repressed, the divine and monstrous within. Cardin's reflections on Jung, Freud, and the archetypal struggle for integration are especially resonant for seekers navigating complexity in both self and cosmos.Whether you're drawn to Zoroastrian theology, psychological integration, or the spiritual function of horror literature, this conversation invites you to experience divine reality with open eyes — and a willingness to face the truth, however unsettling it may be.Other Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:From God To Jerry To You- a brand-new series calling for the attention of spiritual seekers everywhere, featuring breakthroughs, pathways, and illuminations.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God- sit in on a dialogue between philosophers about God and the questions we all have. What's On Our Mind- Connect the dots with Jerry and Scott over the most recent series episodes. What's On Your Mind- What are readers and listeners saying? What is God sayingResources:THE LIFE WISDOM PROJECT PLAYLISTStay ConnectedShare your thoughts or questions at questions@godandautobiography.com

We greatly appreciate you tuning into this podcast. If we can pray for you in anyway please email us at rayreynoldsrap@gmail.com. If you are interested in a deeper, richer study of the Bible please download the FREE study guides available for a limited time. We also encourage you to sign up for a FREE Bible course for a comprehensive study of the entire Bible.The ministry of Reynolds Rap is meant to bring a message of inspiration and encouragement. Our hope it will bless you to find your calling and inspire you to engage in your own distinctive and personal ministry.  Our goal is to help mentor, coach, and motivate you.  We will do this through sharing Scriptures, Bible studies, blogs, podcasts, and LIVE videos.  Our website has many tools to help you in your walk with God to maintain an authentic Christian life (www.rayreynoldsrap.com).This podcast is partially sponsored by Peachtree Press LLC (www.peachtreepress.org), Getting To Know Your Bible (www.gettingtoknowyourbible.com), the Summerdale Church of Christ (www.summerdalechurch.org), and the Reclaiming Hope Ministry (www.reclaiminghopeministry.com). Also we are excited to partner with Didasko Bible Institute to offer 8 certificates of study. Read more here: https://didaskobible.wixsite.com/instituteYou are loved.Ray Reynolds, PhD#backtotheBible #inspiration #encouragement #onpoint #ReynoldsRap #ReclaimingHope #RayReynolds #MistyReynolds #counseling #peachtreepress #inspire #encourage #positive #rayreynoldsrap #reclaiminghopeministry #bible #love #hope #didaskobibleinstitute #dailyBiblereading #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #Jesus #Facebook #Instagram #YouTube #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #faithful #religion #HolySpirit #summerdale #churchofchrist 

Questions? Comments? Text Us!Jerry shares his fascinating revelations during prayer concerning the prophet Zoroaster's profound encounter with the divine.Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest known monotheistic religions, but few know its rich history—largely preserved through oral tradition—that allows us to understand what God was communicating to Zoroaster through the cosmic battle between good and evil.In this powerful narrative, we're introduced to the figure of Ahura Mazda—the embodiment of wisdom and goodness—and His counterpart, the Hostile Spirit, often perceived as God's “evil twin.” This story dives into the eternal struggle between light and darkness, a central theme in Zoroastrian belief and one still deeply relevant to the modern spiritual seeker.Join us as we explore these ancient revelations and how they continue to echo in our understanding of the divine, the nature of evil, and the choices our souls are called to make.Are you paying attention? Visit godanautobiography.com for more information and to get your copy of God: An Autobiography, As Told To A Philosopher — the true story of an agnostic philosopher who heard the voice of God and recorded their conversations.Other Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:Life Wisdom Project: How to live a wiser, happier, and more meaningful life with special guests.From God To Jerry To You: Calling for the attention of spiritual seekers everywhere, featuring breakthroughs, pathways, and illuminations.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God: Sit in on a dialogue between philosophers about God and the questions we all have.What's On Our Mind- Connect the dots with Jerry and Scott over the most recent series of episodes.What's On Your Mind: What are readers and listeners saying? What is God saying?Resources:READ: "You Could Be Wrong."FROM GOD TO JERRY TO YOU PLAYLISTWould you like to be featured on the show or have questions about spirituality or divine communication? Share your story or experience with God!#fromgodtojerrytoyou #FGTJTY #godanautobiographythepodcast #experiencegod #SpiritualAwakeningShare Your Story | Site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

This episode is brought to you by Cured Nutrition, Fatty15, and Quickbooks.   Shaahin Cheyene, a trailblazer in the Amazon industry, is here today to share his unconventional insights into wealth creation and how he generated over $1 BILLION in revenue. His story is one of resilience and creativity, where he challenges the norm by advocating for the power of storytelling and leveraging existing markets over relentless innovation. Shaahin's journey from early struggles to becoming an Amazon expert serves as a testament to the potential of e-commerce as a lucrative avenue. With a focus on multiple income streams and the strategic usage of platforms like Amazon, Shaahin reveals the secrets to building a billion-dollar company while emphasizing the importance of niche selection and the psychological power of storytelling.   Follow Shaahin @shaahincheyene Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- In this episode we discuss... 1. Introduction to Shaahin Cheyene (0:00:00) - Introduction of Shaahin Cheyene, his background, and the theme of the episode focused on e-commerce, storytelling, and wealth creation.   2. Challenging Conventional Wisdom on Innovation (0:01:30) - Shaahin argues that innovation is not the only path to wealth, emphasizing storytelling and leveraging existing markets instead.   3. Importance of Multiple Income Streams (0:04:15) - Discussion on the necessity of having multiple streams of income, with a focus on e-commerce and Amazon as a low-barrier entry point.   4. Shaahin's Entrepreneurial Journey (0:06:45) - Overview of Shaahin's journey from struggles to success in the Amazon industry and generating over $1 billion in revenue.   5. Storytelling and Niche Selection in E-Commerce (0:09:45) - The role of storytelling and choosing the right niche in online business success.   6. Financial Preparedness and Investment Strategies (0:13:30) - Importance of having a financial cushion of at least $10,000 for business ventures and strategies for investing in your own business.   7. The Role of Perceived Value (0:16:00) - How understanding perceived value and reliability can lead to business success, with examples like Starbucks.   8. E-Commerce Complexities and Drop Shipping (0:20:21) - Discussion on the challenges of e-commerce, particularly in drop shipping and the importance of storytelling over product innovation.   9. Consistency and Reliability in Business (0:23:45) - The importance of delivering consistent experiences in business and focusing on strengths rather than out-innovating competitors.   10. Resilience and Learning from Failure (0:27:30) - Personal anecdotes about resilience, learning from failures, and the importance of hard work and realistic financial goals.   11. Investing in Your Own Business (0:32:00) - Why investing in your own business offers more control and potentially higher returns compared to other investments.   12. The Predator-Prey Business Approach (0:36:00) - Encouraging entrepreneurs to strategically understand their competitive landscape and excel within their framework.   13. What Shaahin Learned About Business by Visiting the Amazon (0:42:24) - A personal story about engaging with an uncontacted tribe and lessons on perceived value and decisive business operations.   14. Shaahin's Top Mindsets for Business Growth (0:48:30) - The critical role of mindset in achieving business success and setting ambitious goals.   15. Zoroastrianism and Historical Inspirations (0:52:30) - Drawing inspiration from historical figures and philosophies like Zoroastrianism to emphasize the power of positive thinking.   16. Creating Opportunities Through Informed Decisions (0:57:00) - Importance of making informed decisions and setting goals for doubling investments.   17. The Power of Self-Reflection and Control (1:04:35) - Emphasizing self-awareness, mentorship, and the importance of creating your own luck through hard work.   18. Opportunities for Continued Learning (1:10:00) - Offering you a chance to access Shaahin's free Amazon course.   19. Introduction to 'Dard Zest' (1:16:30) - Exploring the origins of the concept "Dard Zest" and its connection to Aztec practices.   20. EVER FORWARD (1:18:40) - Concluding remarks and how Shaahin lives a life ever forward. ----- Episode resources: Save 20% on the Flow gummies, your all-day energy solution, from Cured Nutrition with code EVERFORWARD. Save an additional 15% on the 90-day starter kit of C15:0 essential fat from Fatty15 with code EVERFORWARD Get 30% off of Quickbooks for six months Learn more about Shaahin here Watch and subscribe on YouTube

What is the origin of Satan? Join us, as we cover EVERY story, myth, and role surrounding the origin of Satan and his correlation through various religions! WELCOME TO Religion CAMP!

In this episode Chris brings us Opinion Scholarship on the Creation myths of ancient Greece. We begin with an exploration of so-called "Old Europe" and a cavalcade of archeological evidence of the Great Mother Goddess religion that prevailed in the Stone Age. From there we follow Author--Robert Graves--as he reconstructs from ancient sources the oldest Creation myths of Greece; following the symbolic breadcrumbs which connect Zeus and the Olympians with the Great Mother Goddess who came before them. This takes us from Homer and the Orphics to the Bible, into Zoroastrianism and Ancient Egyptian myth, then we trip over Homer, Hesiod and Apollodorus and fall squarely into the Aryan migration theory (which we navigate tactfully). And before all is said and done, we pepper in a dash of depth psychology. Enjoy ;)

The Legacy of Zoroastrianism for Judaism, Christianity and Islam, PART IPodcast Summary In this episode, we delve into the fascinating legacy of Zoroastrianism, exploring its influence on both ancient and modern religious thought. From its roots in the Persian Empire to its transformation through Roman Mithraism, weuncover how this ancient faith shaped key religious concepts like resurrection,duality of good vs. evil, and the afterlife. We also explore the impact of Constantine's conversion to Christianity and how the evolution of religious ideas, such as hell and the role of women in faiths, played a pivotal role in shaping our spiritual landscape today. Keywords:#Zoroastrianism; #Mithraism; #PersianEmpire; #Resurrection; #AncientReligions;#RomanEmpire; #Constantine; #Philosophy; #ReligiousEvolution; #WomenInReligion;#HellConcept; #ZoroastrianInfluence; #AncientFaiths; #ChristianityOrigins

Al Fadi, Dr Jay, and Brother Mel are starting a new series called Exposing the Myth. In this episode they are talking about how Islam borrowed from the Persian religion of Zoroastrianism. 1.The name of the ZamZam well is zoroastrian in origin. The name Zam is a pagan god which refers to mother nature. 2. The Black stone in al Kaaba is connected to another demon called Afraditi(Venus/ Lucifer). 3. The Jamarat represent Satan. 4. The Sunna/ hadith was written in persian lands. 5. The times of prayer, the washing before prayer, the kibla, and the word Jin were borrowed from Zoroastrianism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexander Bard unveils Zuvism—blending Zen, Sufism, and Zoroastrianism from the Silk Road. A deep chat with Andrew Sweeny and Tim Pickerill. Esoteric truths, sex, violence—decentralized spirituality for nomads. The course starts April 2, 2025, at Parallax: https://www.parallax-media.com/courses/zufism-alexander-bard #Zuvism #Philosophy #Spirituality #SilkRoad #AlexanderBard #Parallax #EsotericWisdom #SweenyVsBard #TimPickerill #ZenSufism

We talk with Dr. Shai Secunda about the Babylonian rabbis' science of blood, breaking taboos through sex education, and menstruation as a cure for rabies.Today, taboos about menstruation keep thousands of girls from attending school. For Jewish sages in late antique Persia, such beliefs led to laws that required women to stay away from their husbands during their periods and to wash at prescribed times. (Whether women followed these laws is another question!) Blood could pollute, yet it could also purify. And practices around menstruation may have helped religious communities define their identity. Access transcript and episode show notes: www.womenwhowentbefore.com/episodes/bad-bloodWomen Who Went Before is written, produced, and edited by Rebekah Haigh and Emily Chesley.Podcast theme music is composed and produced by Moses Sun.This podcast is sponsored by the Center for Culture, Society, and Religion, the Program in Judaic Studies, the Stanley J. Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies, and the Committtee for the Study of Late Antiquity at Princeton University.Views expressed on the podcast are solely those of the individuals, and do not represent Princeton University.

What does it mean to live with truth, righteousness, and a sense of responsibility toward the world? The Avesta, the sacred text of Zoroastrianism, offers answers that are just as meaningful today as they were thousands of years ago. But how do these ancient teachings apply to modern life?In this episode, Dr Ramiyar Karanjia—scholar, author, and Principal of the Dadar Athornan Institute—joins us to break down the deeper messages of the Avesta. He explains what “good thoughts, good words, good deeds” truly means beyond its well-known phrase, the role of fire as a bridge between the physical and the divine, and why Zoroastrianism places such importance on protecting nature.We also get into the hidden world, the power of the mind in spiritual practice, and the system of preserving the Avesta through memory long before it was written down. What wisdom does this ancient text hold for those seeking clarity and balance today? And what simple practice from the Avesta can shift the way you think?Tune in for a fascinating conversation that looks beyond religion and into the heart of what it means to live with purpose.For a transcript of this show, go to https://wellnesscurated.life/the-avesta-and-its-teachings-on-life-and-beyond-2/If you liked our episode, you can subscribe to our podcast on any of the major podcasting platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Please leave us a review on Apple iTunes and help others discover this podcast. You can visit wellnesscurated.life and follow us on Twitter @WellnessCurated, On Instagram @wellnesscurated.life,On Facebook @Wellness Curated by Anshu Bahanda,On LinkedIn @Wellness Curated by Anshu Bahanda, And on YouTube @wellnesscuratedbyanshubahanda. for more wellness tips to help you live your best life.

Darius is firmly in charge of the Empire, so what's next? Well go get a bunch of wives for one!Dan takes us through the beginning of Darius' reign of this HUGE empire.Another thing to think about... are we seeing the true birth of the "Axial Age"? Buddha and his disciples are AMAZINGLY CLOSE to the Persian Empire if not actually part of it. Zoroastrianism is the religion of the empire... how can those ideas not spread? Throw in Greeks and Jews and wow is this a melting pot of ideas!This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020 Support the show and listen ad-free to all of the episodes, including episode 1-87. Click here: https://plus.acast.com/s/history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's taken 5 appearances from JJ Johnson of Southern Demonology for us to get to demons. But, here there be demons. The views of demons changed very much once Christianity spread versus before. So we start with Mesopotamia in Sumer, Babylon, Akka and the Levant. We visit and clarify on certain figures like Lilith, Lamasu, Pazzuzu, Peimon and Moloch. Is Beelzebub Ba'al or the reverse? Or neither? How did Zoroastrianism change everything? Some familiar numbers are discussed. Of course, we cover Satan, Lucifer, the Devil and other topics. Which writings are worth your time. Which aren't might surprise you. Are Djinn demons? Are Nephilim demons? Let's dive into the underworld and beyond to discuss actual demonology according to actual canonical texts and some adjacent writings.  

This episode we continue to follow the monk Xuanzang on his path along the silk road.  From Gaochang, he traveled through the Tarim Basin, up over the Tianshan Mountains, to the heart of the Western Gokturk Qaghanate.  From there, he traveled south, through the region of Transoxania to Bactria and the land of Tukhara.  He pushed on into the Hindu Kush, witnessing the stone Buddha statues of Bamiyan, and eventually made his way to the land of Kapisa, near modern Kabul, Afghanistan.  From there he would prepare to enter the Indian subcontinent: the home of the historical Buddha. For more discussion and some photos of the areas along this journey, check out our podcast blog at https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-121   Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is Episode 121: Journey to the West, Part 2   The cold winds blew through the travelers' doubled up clothing and thick furs.  Cold, wet ground meant that even two sets of boots were not necessarily enough after several days.  The frozen mist would often obscure everything except for the path immediately in front, hiding the peaks and making the sky a uniform white. In many places, the path would be blocked by rock, ice, or snow—the remnants of an avalanche, which could easily take an unsuspecting traveler.  And there was the elevation.  Hiking through the mountains, it was easy enough to reach heights of a mile or higher, and for those not accustomed to that elevation the thin air could take a surprising toll, especially if you were pushing yourself.  And the road was no less kind to the animals that would be hauling said travelers and their gear. And yet, this was the path that Xuanzang had agreed to.  He would continue to push through, despite the various deprivations that he would be subjected to.  No doubt he often wondered if it was worth it.  Then again, returning was just as dangerous a trip, so why not push on?   Last episode we introduced the monk Xuanzang, who traveled the Silk Road to India in the 7th century and returned to China.  He brought back numerous sutras to translate, and ended up founding a new school, known as the Faxian school—or the Hossou school in Japan.   As we mentioned last time, Xuanzang during his lifetime met with students from the archipelago when they visited the continent.  The records of his travels—including his biography and travelogue—are some of the best information we have on what life was like on the silk road around this time. In the last episode, we talked about Xuanzang: how he set out on his travels, his illegal departure from the Tang empire, and his perilous journey across the desert, ending up in Gaochang.  There, King Qu Wentai had tried to get him to stay, but he was determined to head out.  This episode we are going to cover his trip to Agni, Kucha, and Baluka—modern Aksu—and up to the Western Gokturk Qaghanate's capital of Suyab.  From there, we'll follow his footsteps through the Turkic controlled regions of Transoxania and into Tukhara, in modern Afghanistan.  Finally, we'll cover the last parts of his journey before he reached the start of his goal:  India. From Gaochang, Xuanzang continued on, through the towns he names as Wuban and Dujin, and into the country of Agni—known today as the area of Yanqi—which may also have been known as Wuqi.  The route was well-enough known, but it wasn't necessarily safe.  At one point, Xuanzang's caravan met with bandits, whom they were fortunately able to pay off.  The following night they encamped on a river bank with some merchants who also happened to be traveling the road.  The merchants, though, got up at midnight and headed out, hoping to get to the city early so that they could be the first ones to the market.  They only made it a few miles down the road, however, before they encountered more bandits, who slaughtered them and took their goods.  The following day, Xuanzang and his retinue came upon the merchants' remains lying in the road and saw the aftermath of the massacre. This was an unforgiving land, and the road was truly dangerous, even for those who traveled it regularly.  And yet Xuanzang was planning to travel its entire length until he reached India. So with little alternative, they carried on to the royal city of Agni. Agni, or Yanqi, sits on the southwestern edge of the basin, west of Bositeng lake, on the border between the Turfan basin and the larger Tarim Basin.  The name is thought to be a Tocharian—or Turfanian—name for the city, which is also known as Karashr. According to the biography by Huili, Xuanzang and his party didn't stay long in Agni.  Apparently Agni and Gaochang were not exactly on friendly terms, and even though the King of Agni and his ministers reportedly came out to greet Xuanzang and welcome him to their city, they refused to provide any horses.  They spent a single night and moved on. That said, Agni still made an impression on Xuanzang.  He noted how the capital was surrounded by hills on four sides, making it naturally defensible.  As for the people, he praises them as honest and straightforward.  They wore clothing of felt and hemp cloth, and cut their hair short, without hats or any kind of headwear.  Even the climate was pleasant, at least for the short time he was there.  He also notes that they used a script based on India—likely referring to the Brahmic script, which we find in the Tarim basin. However, as for the local lord, the King of Agni, he is a little less charitable.  Xuanzang claimed he was brave but “lacked resourcefulness” and he was a bit of a braggart.  Furthermore, the country had “no guiding principles or discipline and government orders are imperfect and not seriously implemented.”  He also mentioned the state of Buddhism in the country, noting that they were followers of Sarvastivada school, a Theravada sect popular along the Silk Road at the time.  Xuanzang was apparently not too pleased with the fact that they were not strict vegetarians, including the “three kinds of pure meat”.  From Agni, Xuanzang continued southwest, heading for the kingdom of Kucha.  He seems to have bypassed the nearby kingdom of Korla, south of Agni, and headed some 60 or 70 miles, climbing over a ridge and crossing two large rivers, and then proceeding another 200 miles or so to the land of Kucha. Kucha was a kingdom with over one hundred monasteries and five thousand monks following a form of Theravada Buddhism.  Here, Xuanzang was welcomed in by the king, Suvarnadeva, described as having red hair and blue eyes.  While Xuanzang was staying in Kucha, it is suspected that he probably visited the nearby Kizil grotto and the Buddhist caves, there, which include a painting of King Suvarnadeva's father, King Suvarnapuspa, and his three sons. You can still visit Kucha and the Kizil grottos today, although getting there is quite a trek, to be sure.  The ancient Kuchean capital is mostly ruins, but in the Kizil caves, protected from the outside elements, you can find vivid paintings ranging from roughly the 4th to the 8th century, when the site was abandoned.  Hundreds of caves were painted, and many still demonstrate vibrant colors.  The arid conditions protect them from mold and mildew, while the cave itself reduces the natural bleaching effect of sunlight.  The paintings are in numerous styles, and were commissioned by various individuals and groups over the years.  They also give us some inkling of how vibrant the city and similar structures must have been, back when the Kuchean kingdom was in its heyday. The people of Kucha are still something of a mystery.  We know that at least some of them spoke an Indo-European language, related to a language found in Agni, and both of these languages are often called Tocharian, which we discussed last episode.  Xuanzang himself noted that they used Indian writing, possibly referring to the Brahmi script, or perhaps the fact that they seem to have used Sanskrit for official purposes, such as the inscription on the cave painting at Kizil giving the name of King Suvarnapuspa.  The Kucheans also were clothed in ornamental garments of silk and embroidery.  They kept their hair cut, wearing a flowing covering over their heads—and we see some of that in the paintings. Xuanzang also notes that though we may think of this area as a desert, it was a place where rice and grains, as well as fruit like grapes, pomegranates, plums, pears, peaches, and almonds were grown.  Even today, modern Xinjiang grows some absolutely fantastic fruit, including grapes, which are often dried into raisins. Another point of interest for Xuanzang may have been that Kucha is known as the hometown of none other than Kumarajiva.  We first mentioned Kumarajiva back in episode 84.  Kumarajiva was one of the first people we know of who translated many of the sutras from India that were then more widely disseminated throughout the Yellow River and Yangzi river basins.  His father was from India and his mother was a Kuchean princess.  In the middle of the 4th century, when he was still quite young, he traveled to India and back with his mother on a Buddhist pilgrimage.  Later he would start a massive translation project in Chang'an.  His translations are credited with revolutionizing Chinese Buddhism. Xuanzang was initially welcomed by the king, his ministers, and the revered monk, Moksagupta.  They were accompanied by several thousand monks who set up tents outside the eastern gate, with portable Buddha images, which they worshipped, and then Xuanzang was taken to monastery after monastery until sunset.  At one of the monasteries, in the southeast of the city, there were several tens of monks who originally came from Gaochang, and since Xuanzang had come from there, they invited him to stay with them. The next day he met and feasted with the King, politely declining any meat, and then went to the monastery in the northwest to meet with the famous monk: Moksagupta.  Moksagupta himself had made the journey to India, and had spent 20 years there himself.  It seems like this would have been the perfect person for Xuanzang to talk to about his plans, but instead, the two butted heads.  Moksagupta seems to have seen Xuanzang's Mahayana faith as heretical.  He saw no reason for Xuanzang to travel all the way to India when he had all the sutras that anyone needed there in Kucha, along with Moksagupta himself.   Xuanzang's response seems to have been the Tang dynasty Buddhist version of “Okay, Boomer”, and then he went ahead and tore apart Moksagupta's understanding of his own sutras—or so Xuanzang relayed to his biographers.  We don't exactly have Moksagupta's side, and, let's face it, Xuanzang and his biographers are not necessarily reliable narrators.  After all, they followed Mahayana teachings, which they considered the “Greater Vehicle”, and they referred to the Theravada teachings as the “Hinayana” or “Lesser Vehicle”.  Meanwhile, Theravada Buddhists likely saw many of the Mahayana texts as extraneous, even heretical, not believing them to actually be the teachings of the Buddha. It must have been winter time, as the passes through the mountains on the road ahead were still closed, and so Xuanzang stayed in Kucha, spending his time sightseeing and meeting with various people.  He even went back to see Moksagupta, but the older monk shunned him, and would get up and exit the room rather than engaging with him, so they had no more conversations. Eventually, Xuanzang continued on his way west, following along the northern rim of the Tarim basin.  Two days out from Kucha, disaster struck.  Some two thousand or so Turkish bandits suddenly appeared—I doubt Xuanzang was counting, so it may have been more or less.  I imagine that memories of what had happened to the merchants near Agni must have gone through Xuanzang's mind.   Fortunately, for him, they were fighting over loot that they had pillaged from various travelers, and since they couldn't share it equally, they fell to fighting each other and eventually dispersed. He travelled for almost 200 miles after that, stopping only for a night at the Kingdom of Baluka, aka Gumo—the modern city of Aksu.  This was another Theravada Buddhist kingdom.  Xuanzang noted tens of Buddhist temples, and over 1000 Buddhist monks.  The country was not large—about 200 miles east to west and 100 miles north to south.  For reference that means it was probably comparable in size with Kyushu, in terms of overall area, or maybe the size of Denmark—excluding Greenland—or maybe the US state of Maryland.  Xuanzang described the country as similar to Kucha in just about every way, including the written language and law, but the spoken language was different, though we don't get many more details. From Baluka, he crossed northward through the Tianshan mountains, which are classified as an extension of the Pamirs known as the Ice Mountains.  Had he continued southwest, he would have hit Kashgar and crossed over between the Pamir and Tian Shan ranges into the Ferghana valley, but instead he turned north. We don't know exactly why he took this perilous option, but the route that may have been popular at the time as it was one of the most direct routes to the seat of the Western Gokturk Empire, which he was currently traveling through. The Tian Shan mountains were a dangerous journey.  Avalanches could block the road—or worse.  Xuanzang describes the permanent ice fields—indeed, it is the ice fields and glaciers of the Tian Shan that melt in the summer and provide the oasis towns of the Tarim Basin with water, even to this day.  In Xuanzang's day, those glaciers were likely even more prevalent than today, especially as they have been recorded as rapidly disappearing since 1961.  And where you weren't on snow and ice, the ground was probably wet and damp from the melt.  To keep warm, you would wear shoes over your shoes, along with heavy fur coats, all designed to reduce exposure. Xuanzang claims that 3 or 4 of every 10 people didn't survive the crossing—and that horses and oxen fared even worse.  Even if these numbers are an exaggeration, the message is clear:  This was a dangerous journey. After about seven days, Xuanzang came out of the mountains to the “Great Pure Lake”, the “Da Qing Hai”, also known as the Hot Sea or the Salt Sea, which likely refers to Issyk Kul.  The salt content, along with the great volume of water it possesses, means that the lake rarely freezes over, which is likely why it is seen as “hot” since it doesn't freeze when the fresh water nearby does.  This lake is the second largest mountain lake in the world, and the second deepest saltwater lake.  Traveling past the lake, he continued to Suyab, near modern Tokmok, in Kyrgyzstan, just west of the modern capital of Bishkek.  This was an old Sogdian settlement, and had since become the capital of the Western Gokturks.  Sogdians—like Xuanzang's guide, Vandak—were integral to the Gokturk kingdom. Their language was the lingua franca of the Silk Road, and at the time of the Gokturk Khaganate, it was also the official court language, and so when Xuanzang appeared at the court of the Great Khagan of the Western Gokturks, it was likely the language of diplomacy. When we think of Turkic people, many in the English speaking world think of Turkiye, and perhaps of the mighty Ottoman empire.  Some may think of Turkmenistan, Kazhakstan, Kyrgyzstan, or Uzbekistan, among others.  And of course, there are the Uyghur people in Xinjiang.  All of these people claim roots in the ancestral Turkic homeland in the Altai mountains, which sit largely in western Mongolia, north of China's Xinjiang region.  Much like the Xiongnu and the Mongols, they were pastoral nomads, moving their herds across the steppes, often covering great distances.  They would regularly move through different regions, perhaps returning each season, though sometimes not returning for years at a time.  They were often seen as barbarians by settled people living in cities, and yet their goods and horses were highly prized. Nomad and sedentary lifestyles would often collide.  Farmers would turn pastureland into fields, and when the nomadic people returned on their circuits, they would find walls and fences where there was once open land, and the people there would claim to “own” the land, a concept often foreign to people who were always on the move.  Nomadic people, such as the Gokturks, were not necessarily keeping vast libraries of records about themselves and their histories, and so much of what we get comes from external sources, which do not always have incredibly reliable narrators.  To many of the settled agriculturalists, groups like the Turks were marauders who raided their villages and farms.  They were a great bogeyman of the steppes, which required the firm hand of strong defenses to keep out—or so their opponents would want people to think. While they were known for their warfare, which incorporated their mobility, but they were keenly interested in trade, as well.  They understood the value of the trade routes and the various cities and states that they included in their empire.  Thus, the Sogdians and the Gokturks seem a natural fit: the Sogdians were more settled, but not entirely so, as demonstrated by their vast trade networks.  And the Sogdians also were part of the greater central Eurasian steppe culture, so the two cultures understood each other, to a degree.  They are even depicted similarly in art, with slight differences, such as long hair that was often associated with Turks over the Sogdians.  In some areas of the Gokturk empire, Sogdians would run the cities, while the Gokturks provided military aid and protection. Xuanzang's description of the people of Suyab, or the “City of Suye River”, doesn't pick out anyone in particular, and he even says that it was a place where traders of the Hu, or foreign, tribes from different countries mingle their abodes.  He mentions the people here as being called Suli, which is also the name given to the language—this may refer to “Sogdian” in general.  They write with an alphabet that is written vertically rather than horizontally—this may refer to a few scripts that were written this way, possibly based off Syriac or Aramaic alphabets that were adapted to Sogdian and other Iranian languages, but it isn't clear. We are told that the people dressed in felt and hemp clothing, with fur and “cotton” garments.  Their clothes fit tightly, and they kept their hair cut short, exposing the top of their heads—though sometimes they shaved it completely, tying a colored silk band around the forehead. He goes on to describe these people as greedy liars, possibly a reference to the mercantile nature of many of the people at the time. Something to note: The Turks of this time had not yet encountered Islam, which was just now starting to rise up in the Middle East.  The Prophet Muhammad is said to have been born around the end of the 6th century CE and was preaching in the early 7th century, though his teachings would begin to spread outward soon enough.  But that means that the Gokturks were not an Islamic empire.  Rather, their own traditions seem to have focused on the worship of Tengri, an Altaic personification of the universe, often simplified as a “sky god”.  Tengrism can be found amongst the Xiongnu, Mongols, and others, and it was the national religion of the Gokturks themselves, but there were many who also adopted other religions that they encountered, including Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Manichaeism, and Buddhism.  In fact, Xuanzang notes that the Turks he met in Suyab would not sleep or sit on beds made of wood because wood was thought to contain the spirit of fire, which he says they worshipped.  That sounds similar to Zoroastrian beliefs, where fire is associated with Ahura Mazda, who is also worshipped as a sky god.  These may have been beliefs inherited from their Eastern Iranian Sogdian partners. In Xuanzang's biography, we are given more details about his visit to Suyab.  Apparently, as he was headed to the city, he met a hunting party, which we are told was the retinue of Yehu Khan.  Hunting was an important part of life on the steppes, and it continued to be a favorite sport of the Gokturk nobility. Yehu Khan—possibly Yagbhu Khan, though that is up for some debate—is described as being dressed in a green silk robe, with his hair exposed, and wearing  a turban of white silk about ten feet long that wrapped his forehead and hung behind his back.  His “hunting” expedition wasn't just a couple of the guys.  It included about 200 officials, all with plaited hair and dressed in brocade robes—they weren't exactly out there roughing it.  He also had his soldiers, dressed in furs, felt, or fine woolen clothes, and there were so many cavalry that they stretched out of sight.  The Khan seemed pleased to meet Xuanzang, but his hunt was expected to last another couple of days, at least, so he sent an attendant named Dharmaja to take Xuanzang back to wait for the Khan to return. Three days later, Xuanzang was given an audience.  The khan was seated in a large yurt.  Xuanzang noted the seeming incongruity between the khan, sitting there in the tent, decorated with golden flowers, with the officials dressed in magnificent brocade garments sitting in two long rows in front of him and the armed guards behind him, compared to the simple felt walls of the tent. A ”yurt” is a common feature of nomadic life on the steppes.  It wasn't exactly a single person operation to haul them around, but they can be taken down and put up with relative ease.  And while yurts could be relatively simple, there are examples of much more elaborate structures.  There is little reason they couldn't be made larger, perhaps with some extra support.  In later centuries, there are examples of giant yurts that seem like real construction projects.  Use of tents, even in a city, where they had permanent palace buildings, was likely a means of retaining the nomadic steppe traditions, even while enjoying the benefits of city life. Whom exactly Xuanzang met with is a matter of debate.  His records seem to indicate that it was Tong Yabghu Qaghan of the Western Gokturk Khaganate, but other sources say that Tong Yabghu Qaghan died in 628, and the earliest Xuanzang could have been meeting with him was 630, two years later, so if that is the case, he must have met with Tong Yabghu's son, Si Yabghu Qaghan.  It is likely that Xuanzang, who was dictating his accounts years after, mentioned the Qaghan and then, when they looked up who it was, they simply made a mistake.  Remember, Xuanzang would have had everything translated through one or two languages.  He did know what he saw, however, and he recounted what he remembered. Tong Yabghu Qaghan oversaw the height of the Gokturk Qaghanate, and appears to have favored the Buddhist religion, though there were many different religions active in their territories at the time.  They oversaw an extremely cosmopolitan empire covering huge swaths of central Eurasia, including the lucrative silk road.  Xuanzang notes that at the court there were individuals from Gaochang and even a messenger from the Han—which is to say the Tang Empire.  One wonders if Xuanzang—or anyone at that time—realized just how tenuous the Khan'sposition was.  After Tong Yabghu's death, the Qaghanate would decline, and less than a decade later it would fall to the Tang dynasty, who took Suyab and made it their western outpost.  In fact, Suyab is thought to have been the birthplace, over a century later, of a young boy who would find a love of poetry.  That boy's name was Li Bai, or Ri Haku, in Japanese. He would become one of the most famous poets in Chinese history, and his poems were even known and studied in Japan.  And it was largely through Japanese study of Li Bai's poems that his works came to the English speaking world: first through Ernest Fenollosa, who had studied in Japan, and then by the celebrated Ezra Pound, who had used Ernest's notes to help with his own translations of the poems. This was, though, as I said, over a century after Xuanzang's journey.  At the time of our story, the Qaghan was throwing a feast, including Xuanzang and all of the foreign envoys.  Xuanzang comments on the food and drink—his hosts provided grape juice in lieu of wine, and cooked a special vegetarian feast just for him, while the other guests ate a feast of meat, such as veal, lamb, fish, and the like.  There was also the music of various regions along the Silk Road, which Xuanzang found to be catchy, but of course not as refined as the music he was used to, of course.  After dinner Xuanzang was asked to expound upon the Darma, largely about the basic principle that you should be kind to one another—I doubt he was getting into the deep mysteries of Buddhist philosophy. Xuanzang stuck around the court for three more days, during which time the Qaghan tried to get him to stay, but Xuanzang insisted that he had to make it to India.  And so the Qaghan relented.  He found men in his army who could translate for Xuanzang along his journey, and had letters of introduction written to at least as far as the state of Kapisa, in modern Afghanistan. And so, armed with the Qaghan's blessing and a fresh translator, Xuanzang struck out again.  They headed westward for over one hundred miles, eventually reaching Bingyul, aka the Thousand Springs.  This is the area where the Qaghan and his court would spend his summers, and the deer in the area were protected under his orders, so that they were not afraid of humans—which sounds similar to the situation with the deer in Nara.  Continuing on another fifty miles or so—the distances are approximate as Xuanzang's primary duty was not exactly to map all of this out—Xuanzang arrived at the city of Taras, in modern Kazakhstan, another place where the cultures of the Silk Road mixed and mingled.  Xuanzang didn't have much to say about Taraz, apparently, though it is one of the oldest cities in Transoxania, founded near the beginning of the Common Era.  A few miles south of there, Xuanzang reportedly found a village of re-settled ethnic Han that had been captured by the Gokturks and settled here.  They had adopted the dress and customs of the Turkic people, but continued to speak a version of Chinese. Southwest of that he reached the City of White Water, likely referring to Aksukent.  This is the same “Aksu” as the city in Xinjiang, both of which mean “White Water” in Turkic, but this one is in the south of Kazakhstan.  Xuanzang found the climate and products an improvement over what he had experienced in Taras.  Beyond that, he next arrived at the city of Gongyu, and then south again to Nujkend, and then traveling westward to the country of Chach, aka Tashkent.  Both Nujkend and Chach were large cities in nations of smaller, mostly autonomous city-states, which made up a lot of the political geography of Transoxania. I would note that Xuanzang's notes here are much more sparse than previously.  This may be because these were outside of the Tarim basin and therefore of less interest to individuals in the Tang empire.  Or perhaps he was just making his way more quickly and not stopping at every kingdom along the way. From Tashkent, he continued southeast to the Ferghana valley—the country of Feihan.  Oddly, this country doesn't appear in Xuanzang's biography, even though the Ferghana Valley seems to have been fairly well known back in the Tang Empire—it was known as the home of some of the best horses, which were one of its first major exports.  In fact, the Han dynasty even mounted a military expedition to travel to Ferghana just to obtain horses.  Xuanzang is oddly silent on this; however, he does talk about the fertile nature of the land.  He mentions that their language here is different from the lands he had been traveling through up to this point, and also points out that the people of the Ferghana valley were also visibly different from others in the area. From the Ferghana valley, Xuanzang headed west for about 300 miles or more to the land of Sutrushana—perhaps referring to the area of Ushrusana, with its capital of Bunjikat.  This country was also largely Sogdian, and described as similar to Tashkent.  From there, he traveled west through a great desert, passing skeletons, which were the only marker of the trail other than a view of the far off mountains.  Finally, they reached Samarkand, known as the country of “Kang” in Chinese, which was also the term used to mark Sogdians who claimed descent from the people of Samarkand. Samarkand is another of the ancient cities of Central Asia, and even today is the third largest city in modern Uzbekistan.  Human activity in the region goes back to the paleolithic era, and the city was probably founded between the 8th and 7th centuries BCE.  Samarkand was conquered by Alexander the Great, and during the Achaemenid Empire it was the capital of Sogdiana.  During Xuanzang's visit, Samarkand was described as an impenetrable fortress with a large population. For all of his travel, Samarkand was the first place Xuanzang notes as specifically not a Buddhist land.  In fact, there were two monasteries, suggesting that there had been Buddhists, but if any monks tried to stay there then the locals would chase them out with fire.  Instead, they worshipped fire—likely meaning Ahura Mazda and Zoroastrianism.  This leads to a story that I have to wonder about, given the reliability of our narrators. It is said that Xuanzang was met by the King with arrogance, but after staying the night Xuanzang was able to tell the King about Buddhism and its merits.  The king was intrigued, and asked to observe the Precepts, and treated Xuanzang with hospitality and respect.  So when two of Xuanzang's attendants went to the monasteries to worship, they were chased out with fire.  When the king heard about this, he had the people arrested and ordered their hands to be cut off.  Xuanzang could not bear to witness such suffering, however, and he intervened to have them spared.  So instead the king had them flogged and banished from the city.  Ever since then, all the people believed in Buddhism. Some parts of this strike true.  It was likely that the king would entertain this strange wanderer who had arrived with letters from the great Qaghan—that may have even explained why Xuanzang had been encouraged to make the dangerous journey to Suyab in the first place, so that he could obtain such permission.  And it would not be strange for the king to listen to his teachings.  If Xuanzang's attendants were attacked, that would have been a huge breach of hospitality, and however the King felt about it, he no doubt had to do something about it.  And so all of that sounds somewhat believable.  Does that mean everyone suddenly converted to Buddhism?  I don't know that I'm quite willing to go that far.  It is also likely that there were Buddhists there already, even if the majority religion was Zoroastrianism. From Samarkand, Xuanzang traveled farther southwest, to the country of Kasanna, which seems to have been the edge of what we might call Sogdiana.   According to his biographers, however, there was a little more to all of this.  Rather, he headed west to Kusanika.  Then he traveled to  Khargan, and further on to the country of Bukhara, and then to Vadi.  All of these were “An” in Chinese, which was the name element used for Sogdians from this region.  He then continued west to the country of Horismika, on the other side of the Amu Darya, aka the Oxus River of Transoxanian fame. From there he traveled further southwest, entering into the mountains.  The path here was often such that they had to travel single-file, and there was no food or water other than what you brought with you.  Eventually they came to a set of doors, known as the Iron Gate.  This was a Turkic fortress.  It was no doubt fortuitous that he had come from his meeting with the Qaghan, and likely had permission to pass through.  From there, they entered the country of Tukhara. As we noted in Episode 119, Tukhara was in the region of Bactria.  It was bordered by the Pamir range in the east, and the Persian empire in the west.  There were also the Great Snow Mountains in the south, likely referencing the Hindu Kush. Tukhara had been conquered by the Gokturks just within the past couple of decades, and Xuanzang notes that the country had been split into largely autonomous city-states as the local royalty had died without an heir many years before.  With the Gokturk conquest, it was now administered by Tardu Shad, the son of Tong Yabghu Qaghan.  “Shad” in this case was a local title. Here, Xuanzang's narrative gets a little dicey, especially between his biography and his records.  The records of the Western Regions denotes various countries in this area.  It is unclear if he traveled to all of them or is just recounting them from records he obtained.  He does give us at least an overview of the people and the region.  I would also note that this is one of the regions he visited, again, on his return trip, and so may have been more familiar with the region than those areas he had passed through from Suyab on down. For one thing, he notes that the language of the region was different from that of the “Suli”, which appears to refer to the Sogdians.  This was the old territory of the Kushan empire, and they largely spoke Bactrian.  Like Sogdian, it was another Eastern Iranian language, and they used an alphabet based largely on Greek, and written horizontally rather than vertically.  They also had their own coins. This region had plenty of Buddhist communities, and Xuanzang describes the cities and how many monasteries they had, though, again, it isn't clear if he actually visited all of them or not.  These are countries that Li Rongji translates as “Tirmidh”, “Sahaaniyan”, “Kharuun”, “Shuumaan”, etc. It does seem that Xuanzang made it to the capital city, the modern city Kunduz, Afghanistan. Xuanzang actually had something specific for the local Gokturk ruler, Tardu Shad.  Tardu Shad's wife was the younger sister of King Qu Wentai of Gaochang, whom we met last episode.  Qu Wentai had provided Xuanzang a letter for his younger sister and her husband.  Unfortunately, Xuanzang arrived to learn that the princess of Gaochang had passed away, and Tardu Shad's health was failing.  It does seem that Tardu Shad was aware of Xuanzang, however—a letter had already come from Qu Wentai to let them know that Xuanzang was on his way.  As I mentioned last episode, letters were an important part of how communities stayed tied together.  Of course, given the perils of the road, one assumes that multiple letters likely had to be sent just in case they didn't make it.  The US Postal Service this was not. Tardu Shad, though not feeling well, granted an interview with Xuanzang.  He suggested that Xuanzang should stick around.  Then, once the Shad had recovered from his illness, he would accompany Xuanzang personally on his trip to India.  Unfortunately, that was not to be.  While Xuanzang was staying there, he was witness to deadly drama.  Tardu Shad was recovering, which was attributed to the recitations by an Indian monk who was also there.  This outcome was not exactly what some in the court had wanted.  One of the Shad's own sons, known as the Tagin prince, plotted with the Shad's current wife, the young Khatun, and she poisoned her husband.  With the Shad dead, the throne might have gone to the son of the Gaochang princess, but he was still too young.  As such, the Tagin Prince was able to usurp the throne himself, and he married his stepmother, the young Khatun.  The funeral services for the late Tardu Shad meant that Xuanzang was obliged to stay at Ghor for over a month. During that time, Xuanzang had a seemingly pleasant interaction with an Indian monk.  And when he finally got ready to go, he asked the new Shad for a guide and horses.  He agreed, but also made the suggestion that Xuanzang should then head to Balkh.  This may have meant a bit of backtracking, but the Shad suggested that it would be worth it, as Balkh had a flourishing Buddhist community. Fortunately, there was a group of Buddhist monks from Balkh who happened to be in Kunduz to express their condolences at the passing of Tardu Shad, and they agreed to accompany Xuanzang back to their hometown, lest he end up getting lost and taking the long way there. The city of Balkh is also known as “Baktra”, as in “Bactria”, another name of this region.  A settlement has been there since at least 500 BCE , and it was already an important city when it was captured by Alexander the Great.  It sits at the confluence of several major trade routes, which no doubt were a big part of its success.  Xuanzang's biography notes that it was a massive city, though it was relatively sparsely populated—probably due to the relatively recent conquest by the Gokturks, which had occurred in the last couple of decades.  That said, there were still thousands of monks residing at a hundred monasteries in and around the city.  They are all characterized as monks of Theravada schools.  Southwest of the city was a monastery known as Navasamgharama, aka Nava Vihara, or “New Monastery”.  Despite its name, the monastery may have actually been much older, going back to the Kushan emperor Kaniska, in the 2nd century CE.  Ruins identified as this “New Monastery” are still visible south of Balkh, today. The monastery is described as being beautifully decorated, and it seems that it had a relic—one of the Buddha's teeth.  There are also various utensils that the Buddha is said to have used, as well.  The objects would be displayed on festival days.  North of the monastery there was a stupa more than 200 feet in height.  South of the monastery was a hermitage.  Each monk who studied there and passed away would have a stupa erected for them, as well.  Xuanzang notes that there were at around 700 memorial stupas, such that they had to be crammed together, base to base. It was here that Xuanzang met a young monk named Prajnaakara, who was already somewhat famous in India, and well-studied.  When questioned about certain aspects of Buddhism, Xuanzang was impressed by the monk's answers, and so stayed there a month studying with the young monk. Eventually, Xuanzang was ready to continue on his journey.  He departed Balkh towards the south, accompanying the teacher Prajnakara, and together they entered the Great Snow Mountains, aka the Hindu Kush.  This path was even more dangerous than the trip through the Tian Shan mountains to Suyab.   They eventually left the territory of Tukhara and arrived at Bamiyan.  Bamiyan was a kingdom in the Hindu Kush, themselves an extension of the Himalayan Mountain range.  It Is largely based around valley, home to the modern city of Bamyan, Afghanistan, which sits along the divide between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.  Today it is a major center for individuals of the Hazara ethnic group, one of the main ethnic groups in Afghanistan, which is a multi-ethnic state that includes, today, the Pashtun, Hazara, Tajik, and Uzbek people, along with a number of smaller ethnic groups.  Today they largely reside in the mountainous areas of the Hindu Kush. Bamiyan made an impact on our protagonist.   Their language was slightly different from that in Tukhara, but using the same—or similar enough—writing system.  Buddhism was thriving in the capital, and we are told of a rock statue of the standing Buddha, over a hundred feet in height, along with a copper statue of the standing Buddha nearby.    There was also another reclining Buddha a mile or two down the road.  There were multiple monasteries with thousands of monks, and the ruler of that kingdom received Xuanzang well. Xuanzang wasn't the first monk to travel to Bamiyan from the Middle Kingdom—in this he was, perhaps unwittingly, on the trail of the monk Faxian.  Faxian likely did not see these statues, though, as we believe they were built in the 6th and early 7th century—at least the stone Buddha statues.  They were a famous worship site until February 2001, when the Taliban gave an order to destroy all of the statues in Afghanistan.  Despite this, they were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. Fortunately, we have images from before their destruction.  These statues were a blend of Greco-Buddhist and Gandharan art styles—appropriate as it stands between the Hellenistic area of Tukhara and the ancient region of Gandhara—including the modern city of Kandahar and into the Indus Valley region of Pakistan. Continuing east through the mountains, Xuanzang eventually came out at the kingdom of Kapisa.  This may have had its capital around modern-day Bagram, north of modern Kabul, but the country seems to have been quite large.  Kapisa over saw some tens of other countries, and it is thought that at one time its influence extended from Bamyan and Kandahar to the area of modern Jalalabad.  Their language was even more different than that of Tukhara, but they were still using the same writing system.  The king of Kapisa is said to have been of Suli ethnicity—which would seem to indicate that he was Sogdian, or at least descended from people of the Transoxanian region.    Xuanzang notes that the ruler, as rough and fiery as he is described—as a true warlord or similar—he nonetheless made a silver image of the Buddha, eighteen feet in height, every year.  He also gave charity to the poor and needy in an assembly that was called every five years.  There were over one hundred monasteries and some 6000 monks, per Xuanzang's recollection, and notably, they were largely following Mahayana teachings. For the most part the monks that Xuanzang had encountered on this journey were Theravada—Xuanzang refers to them as “Hinayana”, referring to the “Lesser Vehicle” in contrast to Xuanzang's own “Mahayana”, or “Greater Vehicle”.  “Theravada” refers to the “way of the elders” and while Mahayana Buddhism largely accepts the sutras of Theravada Buddhism, there are many Mahayana texts that Theravada Buddhists do not believe are canonical.  We discussed this back in Episode 84. There was apparently a story of another individual from the Yellow River being sent as a hostage to Kapisa when it was part of the Kushan Empire, under Kanishka or similar.  Xuanzang recounts various places that the hostage, described as a prince, lived or visited while in the region.  Xuanzang's arrival likely stirred the imagination of people who likely knew that the Tang were out there, but it was such a seemingly impossible distance for most people.  And yet here was someone who had traveled across all of that distance.  One of the monasteries that claimed to have been founded because of that ancient Han prince invited Xuanzang to stay with them.  Although it was a Theravada monastery, Xuanzang took them up on the offer, both because of the connection to someone who may have been his countryman, but also because of his traveling companion, Prajnakara, who was also a Theravada monk, and may not be comfortable staying at a Mahayana monastery. Xuanzang spends a good deal of ink on the stories of how various monasteries and other sites were founded in Kapisa and the surrounding areas.  He must have spent some time there to accumulate all of this information.  It is also one of the places where he seems to have hit at least twice—once on the way to India, and once during his return journey. The King of Kapisa is said to have been a devotee of Mahayana Buddhism.  He invited Xuanzang and Prajnakara to come to a Mahayana monastery to hold a Dharma gathering.  There they met with several leading figures in the monastery, and they discussed different theories.  This gathering lasted five days, and at the end, the king offered Xuanzang and the other monks five bolts of pure brocade and various other gifts.  Soon thereafter, the monk Prajnakara was invited back to Tukhara, and so he and Xuanzang parted ways. And it was about time for Xuanzang to continue onwards as well.  From Kapisa, he would travel across the “Black Range” and into Lampaka.  This may refer to the area of Laghman or Jalalabad.  Today, this is in modern Afghanistan, but for Xuanzang, this would have been the northwestern edge of India.  He was almost there. And so are we, but we'll save his trip into India for next episode. Until then thank you for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

"History 102" with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg: Read the notes at at podcastnotes.org. Don't forget to subscribe for free to our newsletter, the top 10 ideas of the week, every Monday --------- In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett discuss how the adoption of iron weapons and tools democratized warfare, disrupted Bronze Age aristocracies, and facilitated new social structures and philosophical movements. They analyze parallel developments in Greece, Persia, India, and China, examining how iron technology catalyzed cultural changes, religious innovations, and new forms of governance between roughly 1200-200 BCE. --

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett discuss how the adoption of iron weapons and tools democratized warfare, disrupted Bronze Age aristocracies, and facilitated new social structures and philosophical movements. They analyze parallel developments in Greece, Persia, India, and China, examining how iron technology catalyzed cultural changes, religious innovations, and new forms of governance between roughly 1200-200 BCE. --

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Wright and Dr. Joe Boot examine the origin, history, and theology of one of the world's most primitive dualistic pagan religions: Zoroastrianism. Though small, this religion has had a significant impact on history. Join us as we dive deep into Zoroastrianism. Episode Resources: Subscribe to our Rumble Channel - https://rumble.com/v6hi4pg-zoroastrianism.html CHAPTERS:00:00 Cold Open: The Religion of Zoroaster03:15 Intro03:25 Welcome05:03 Upcoming Events07:02 Why Zoroastrianism?11:21 Who is Zoroaster or Zarathustra? 13:10 What Did He Teach?18:00 Understanding Zoroastrianism through a Biblical Lens20:18 Nimrod & The Table of Nations21:56 Zoroaster: The Seed of the Woman?23:47 The Hope for the Seed of the Woman, the Seed of Religion34:10 ReformCon '25 AD34:56 A Distorted Faith37:12 The Influence of Zoroastrianism/Ancient Dualism43:10 Saoshayant: The Zoroastrian Messiah43:47 Core Beliefs of Zoroastrianism46:14 Salvation Without Atonement49:34 Ahura Mazda: An Impersonal God53:27 The True Seed of the Woman: Jesus Christ59:23 OutroThe WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition; UPCOMING CONFERENCES:REFORMCON '25 | "Out of the Ashes" | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/ For All Ezra Events: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/events/; Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government; Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/; For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com. Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885. Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Wright and Dr. Joe Boot examine the origin, history, and theology of one of the world's most primitive dualistic pagan religions: Zoroastrianism. Though small, this religion has had a significant impact on history. Join us as we dive deep into Zoroastrianism. Episode Resources: Subscribe to our Rumble Channel - https://rumble.com/v6hi4pg-zoroastrianism.html CHAPTERS:00:00 Cold Open: The Religion of Zoroaster03:15 Intro03:25 Welcome05:03 Upcoming Events07:02 Why Zoroastrianism?11:21 Who is Zoroaster or Zarathustra? 13:10 What Did He Teach?18:00 Understanding Zoroastrianism through a Biblical Lens20:18 Nimrod & The Table of Nations21:56 Zoroaster: The Seed of the Woman?23:47 The Hope for the Seed of the Woman, the Seed of Religion34:10 ReformCon '25 AD34:56 A Distorted Faith37:12 The Influence of Zoroastrianism/Ancient Dualism43:10 Saoshayant: The Zoroastrian Messiah43:47 Core Beliefs of Zoroastrianism46:14 Salvation Without Atonement49:34 Ahura Mazda: An Impersonal God53:27 The True Seed of the Woman: Jesus Christ59:23 OutroThe WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition; UPCOMING CONFERENCES:REFORMCON '25 | "Out of the Ashes" | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/ For All Ezra Events: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/events/; Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government; Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/; For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com. Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885. Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Wright and Dr. Joe Boot examine the origin, history, and theology of one of the world's most primitive dualistic pagan religions: Zoroastrianism. Though small, this religion has had a significant impact on history. Join us as we dive deep into Zoroastrianism. Episode Resources: Subscribe to our Rumble Channel - https://rumble.com/v6hi4pg-zoroastrianism.html CHAPTERS:00:00 Cold Open: The Religion of Zoroaster03:15 Intro03:25 Welcome05:03 Upcoming Events07:02 Why Zoroastrianism?11:21 Who is Zoroaster or Zarathustra? 13:10 What Did He Teach?18:00 Understanding Zoroastrianism through a Biblical Lens20:18 Nimrod & The Table of Nations21:56 Zoroaster: The Seed of the Woman?23:47 The Hope for the Seed of the Woman, the Seed of Religion34:10 ReformCon '25 AD34:56 A Distorted Faith37:12 The Influence of Zoroastrianism/Ancient Dualism43:10 Saoshayant: The Zoroastrian Messiah43:47 Core Beliefs of Zoroastrianism46:14 Salvation Without Atonement49:34 Ahura Mazda: An Impersonal God53:27 The True Seed of the Woman: Jesus Christ59:23 OutroThe WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition; UPCOMING CONFERENCES:REFORMCON '25 | "Out of the Ashes" | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/ For All Ezra Events: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/events/; Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government; Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/; For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com. Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885. Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

Pastor Nate Wright and Dr. Joe Boot examine the origin, history, and theology of one of the world's most primitive dualistic pagan religions: Zoroastrianism. Though small, this religion has had a significant impact on history.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 13 of The Paranormal Rundown! For our first episode of 2025, we have the full gang! It was great to have everyone together again. This certainly isn't our longest Rundown, but we did cover some great topics. We have a pretty in depth talk on Haunted Real Estate in Japan, with JJ's personal experiences and David's idea of creating a new business: Haunted Property Insurance! We also have some interesting ideas about how a child could be born evil, including Fr. Birdsong's personal experiences (Just Kidding Deacon Josh!). We also touch on Stigmatized Properties, Real Estate Death Disclosure Requirements, Exorcising Properties, Tanuki, Dead In House Website, Genetic Evil, The Bad Seed Movie, Genetic Memory, Soul Genetics, Spiritual DNA Framework, Generational Sin and Curses, Substance of Evil, Zoroastrianism and Divine Evil, Psychic Defense, Hikikomori, Psychic Vampires, The Black Brain Process, and Demonic Attachments. That's quite a list, so let's get to it!If you have any questions, comments, or want to consider being on the show, please let us know at feedback@paranormalrundown.comThe Paranormal Rundown is a partnership between the hosts David Griffith, JJ Johnson, Father Michael Birdsong, and Vic Hermanson.Be sure to check out our partner podcasts:You can find JJ at Southern Demonology, https://www.southerndemonology.comYou can find Vic at Trailer Trash Terrors, https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vic-hermansonYou can find Father Birdsong at https://www.becomingahouseofprayer.com, as well as hear his new podcast Ending the Curse at:https://open.spotify.com/show/5yL7ZAN4wcRKnMPAlalVXW Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have begun another new year, 2025. It usually takes a little while to remember this when writing the date. Some people set resolutions or goals for the year. This may help us to decide where our focus will be. Our country will be looking and run differently. There are many different views on whether it will be good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. I'm not sure how much control we have over it one way or the other. For me the bottom line is where will our focus be and whom will we trust. Today we begin a new season, Epiphany. Epiphany means manifestation. Where we place our focus and whom we trust has everything to do with how we represent or manifest Jesus in our world. God has a plan of how God wants to be represented. In our lessons today, we see contrasts and descriptions of this. Folklore has us thinking that there were three kings. In reality they were Magi or also called Wise Men, and it doesn't really say that there were three. The Magi or Wise Men originated in Persia. They were followers of Zoroastrianism, a system of belief that was a precursor to Islam. There were most likely women in this group also. But Matthew sticks with the patriarchal context. We could easily question God how people not of the Jewish faith could be used in God's plan. But that would be our way of thinking and not God's. This is one thing to remember for the new year that God doesn't follow our plans. In the Zoroastrianism religion, the primary prophet was conceived by a 15 year old Persian virgin. He predicted that other virgins would conceive additional divinely appointed prophets. They were waiting for the birth of a true Savior also, just as the Jews were. The Magi had heard of the birth of Jesus and went to Jerusalem to find out where this baby was. King Herod became frightened that this baby would be the Messiah that the Jews had been talking about and he did not want to lose the power and control that he had. He called together all of the chief priests and scribes and basically asked them, where do you think this baby that could be the Messiah, was born. They went back to the prophecy that said the baby would be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Herod called the Wise Men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem to find the baby and then let him know so that he could go and visit the baby. A frightened leader is not to be trusted. The wise men followed the star and found Jesus in Bethlehem. They arrived and were overwhelmed with joy. Upon entering the stable they knelt down to give Jesus the gifts that they had brought. Consider this, leaders in their religion kneeling in reverence before a baby and acknowledging Jesus as the king of the Jews. This title was not used again until the passion story. God was using unexpected Gentiles to identify who Jesus was. I can remember other times in Jesus' time on earth where he was identified for who he really was, such as the demons. Again, not what we would expect. God in Jesus Christ has plans that often do not match up with ours. This is where trust enters in. Whose plan are we going to follow, ours or God's? The Wise Men heard in a dream not to return to Herod, and they left for their country by another road. They weighed out whether they needed to in a sense collude with Herod or bypass him. They may have sensed that he was a frightened man and not to be trusted. This also contrasts the two kingdoms, Herod's and Jesus'. Herod's was one of power and control over others creating an atmosphere of hostility created by his insecurity. He used whatever method he could think of to keep himself in power. But what might have he sensed in a baby that would threaten him and his power and control? Jesus' kingdom represented one of peace and love. A kingdom that was called to love neighbor. Neighbor meaning all people. The fact that God used people from Persia who were not even of the Jewish faith helps us realize that neighbor includes all. In our Old Testament lesson from Isaiah, we hear about nations coming to God's light. When Isaiah talks about nations coming, he is talking about building a community that includes all people, foreigners and sexual minorities, at this time meaning eunuchs. At one point explicitly includes sons of foreigners. I believe it is very revealing that God has been trying to build an inclusive, diverse kingdom from the beginning. Human beings are threatened by this. God's community is built on love and acceptance not power and control. If we know all of this, what is our role in the kingdom. How will we represent or manifest Christ in 2025? Paul in our second lesson gives us some clue. First of all, Paul says, according to The Message, This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message, the good news. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. This is our life work as followers of Jesus as part of God's kingdom: helping people understand and respond to the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul is trying to tell us that he didn't always know how he was going to do this and relied on God for the details. This is where trust comes in. This good news of God's grace shown through Jesus is a gift to us and the invitation to help people understand and respond is a gift. As the Wise Men humbled themselves and literally knelt before Jesus is a way of representing Jesus. They acknowledged who Jesus was. We acknowledge who Jesus is when we don't try and think we have the plan by ourselves. It is when we trust God for the details. The idea of the Magi being part of God's plan is a surprise. Even thinking that God would use people who would be a precursor to Islam can be difficult for some people to get their head around. This is how God works. Going through this new year we are challenged to be surprised by God and trust God for the details. In the end it is about humbling ourselves before God and trusting God's plan as we know it and not ours. I believe as we strive to do this we will manifest or represent Christ to our neighbor. Let us pray, All knowing God, we have been reminded again today that you can use all people to carry out your plan. Unfortunately, we often get in the way and try and impose our plan. In this new year, we come before you, God in Jesus Christ humbly realizing that it is not about our plan, but yours. You have the details that you reveal to us as we are able to see them. During this Epiphany season continually remind us that it is not our light that shines, but your light shining through us. You have invited us to help people hear and understand the good news. We humbly pray for the details in how to do this. In Jesus name, Amen          

In this episode, Joe interviews Shauheen Etminan, Ph.D.: co-founder of VCENNA, a drug discovery and development company, and Magi Ancestral Supplements, which sells nootropics inspired by ancient Eastern traditions. He discusses his journey into the world of plant extraction, how he first discovered compounds like Haoma and Harmaline, and why he decided to bring Iranian tradition to the psychedelic renaissance. He explores the similarities between psychedelics and experiences found in mystical traditions, and how that historical context can inform modern psychedelic practice. He sees this exemplified most with dream recollection, attending to the emotions found within dreams, and the concept of wakeful dreaming, where one can access unconscious insights consciously, through the liminal (or hypnagogic) state between dreaming and wakefulness.  He discusses: Zoroastrianism and how the teachings of Zarathustra on understanding morality have inspired hi Syrian Rue in Iranian culture, and how it compares to the Banisteriopsis Caapi vine: Is it actually stronger than ayahuasca Henry Corbin's practice of embodied imagination and Jung's concept of active imaginatio Other less-discussed compounds he's interested in, like Ephedra and Saffron and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

Mina Angotti has a Master's degree in theology, focusing her studies on Mary, the Mother of Christ. Mina is a longtime friend of the show, and a devout Catholic. She's here to tell us about the details of the Nativity deduced  from history, combined with a fundamentalist understanding of the Biblical source material. Learn about the shepherds and the magicians, the census and the cave, the faith and the fumbles. All this and more... Support us on Patreon or you can get our merch at Spreadshop. Join the Community on Discord. Learn more great religion factoids on Facebook and Instagram. 

In response to Jesus, the Wise Men gave him generous gifts while holding nothing back. Join us this week as we discover who these wise men really were!--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now --I think there are 2 kinds of ppl who come to church around ChristmasPpl who are very familiar w/all Christmas stories in BiblePpl whose experience of Christmas has been a lot more secularThe kind of thing you get in stores / at schoolIn the popular Christmas movies that we rewatch every yearThis series is for everyone, but especially for those who feel far from GodBecause the people who were actually there on the first ChristmasWere not the people anyone would have expectedLast week we saw the surprising inclusion of the shepherds in the Christmas storyThey were loners and losers, on the outside of societyYet God broke his 400-year silence and declared the Good New first to them!Today: another shockerThe story of the “wise men” or “magi” Maybe you thought it was normal, naturalThey've always been a part of the Christmas storyBut actually, it makes no sense in its worldly contextToday we'll answer two questions:Who were the magi, and why are they in the Christmas story? What were their three famous gifts all about?Matthew 2:1-2 (NLT) 1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”First of all, a few trivial facts:Only mentioned in MatthewNever says there were three of them (We three Kings…)Most likely not kings (astrologers is a better translation, as we'll see)In Jerusalem because that's where they would have expected to find a king(IVP Bible Background Commentary: NT, Second Edition) The Magi had come to Jerusalem because that was where they expected to find any Judean king—but Herod had apparently not had any new sons lately.Probably alludes to Nu 24:17: "A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel."Bigger question: who were the Magi?Likely pagan Zoroastrian priests or scholars from Persia, skilled in astrology and prophecy.Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest continuously practiced religions, originating in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) around 1200–1000 BCE. One of the world's first monotheistic or dualistic religions.Dualism: A cosmic battle between good and evil, with human beings playing a central role.Moral principles: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds as the path to righteousness.Today primarily found in Iran, India (Parsis), and the global diaspora.Estimated at 100,000–200,000 adherents worldwide.(Here's where it...

The Primate of the United States explores Gnosis in the traditions of Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Ilm-e-Khshnoom - owing to the length of the original presentation and time-limits in the Conclave session- this talk is in two parts, joined together in a single presentation.

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast! Episode 142: In this episode, we dive deep into the intersection of philosophy, spirituality, and the transformative potential of psychedelics. Together, we explore ancient traditions like Zoroastrianism and their seamless integration of psychedelic practices, contrasting them with Western struggles rooted in religious and cultural frameworks. We discuss profound themes such as the mother contract, the Black Widow archetype, and the challenges these dynamics create in shaping masculinity and femininity in modern society. Alexander Bard shares his insights on how distorted maternal archetypes contribute to toxic masculinity and femininity, and why breaking free from these contracts is vital for both personal and collective healing. Additionally, we delve into the transformative role of psychedelics in confronting deep-seated traumas, fostering self-awareness, and resetting societal norms. This raw and challenging conversation invites deep reflection on the complexities of human nature, spirituality, and our connection to community. Join us in unpacking these vital topics, and share your thoughts in the comments—let's keep the conversation going! About Alex: Alexander Bard is a philosopher, artist, songwriter and music producer, author of six books with Jan Söderqvist, living in Stockholm, Sweden. Bard built his career as a philosopher in parallel with a highly successful 25-years-plus career in the international music industry. Bard & Söderqvist's philosophy concentrates on the relationship between human beings and technology, using human beings as the constant throughout civilization, with technology as the ever faster changing variable. Their work takes inspiration from thinkers like Hegel, Nietzsche, Whitehead, Deleuze, and Eastern philosophy and spirituality, in the latter case adding Persia to the well known triad of India, China and Japan. They are convinced philosophy will be the last human activity to ever be affected by AI. Connect with Alex: Website: http://syntheism.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexander.bard Speakersnet: https://speakersnet.se/speakers/alexander-bard/ Thank you so much for joining us! Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness. For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.com Please share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversations This show is for information purposes only, and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice. About Susan Guner: Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being. Connect with Susan: Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.guner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susanguner Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susanguner Blog: https://susanguner.medium.com/ Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner #PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #AlexanderBard #PsychedelicPodcast #Microdosing #PsychedelicScience #PlantMedicines #PsychedelicResearch #Entheogens

Join Justin as he chats with actor Erick Avari about Zoroastrianism, Bollywood, adjusting to the United States, typecasting, The Mummy, Stargate, Encino Man, and more!Erick Avari bio:Erick Avari (born Nariman Erick Avari;[ 13 April 1952) is an Indian-American actor whose roles in science-fiction and action productions include Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996) and The Mummy (1999), as well as the historical drama The Chosen (2019).Monsters, Madness and Magic Official Website. Monsters, Madness and Magic on Linktree.Monsters, Madness and Magic on Instagram.Monsters, Madness and Magic on Facebook.Monsters, Madness and Magic on Twitter.Monsters, Madness and Magic on YouTube.

Part III: Religious Minorities in Modern Iran ‎ In this episode, I delved into the intricate dynamics of religious minorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. ‎We explored how the 1979 Islamic Revolution brought ideological shifts that reshaped policies and ‎attitudes toward non-Muslim communities. From the strategic public relations campaigns projecting ‎tolerance to the underlying systemic discrimination entrenched in laws, the discussion unravelled the ‎complexities of the state's dual narrative.‎ I also examined the social realities faced by Iran's religious minorities, including Persian Jews, Christians, ‎and Zoroastrians, and how they navigate a society shaped by both solidarity and segregation. The ‎episode further addressed Iran's ideological opposition to Zionism, its domestic policies toward Jewish ‎communities, and the broader global implications of its approach to diversity.‎ This conversation offered a nuanced look at the contradictions between ideology and practice, shedding ‎light on the delicate balance between state policies and societal attitudes. Your thoughts and reflections ‎are welcome—let's keep the dialogue going!‎ Keywords ‎ ‎#ReligiousMinorities; #IranianHistory; #IslamicRevolution; #ShiiteIslam; #MinorityRights; ‎‎#IslamicRepublic; #Zionism; #ReligiousDiscrimination; #HumanRights; #IranianJews; #Zoroastrianism; ‎‎#ChristianityInIran; #InterfaithRelations; #ClericalInfluence; #PersianSociety; #ToleranceAndContradictions; #IranianConstitution‎

My special guest tonight is Dr. Stephen Flowers who's here to discuss the history of Mazdan magic from his book called   Original Magic: The Rituals and Initiations of the Persian Magi   A complete guide to the theory, practice, and history of Mazdan magic, the first organized system of magic   • Provides a complete curriculum of magical study and initiation centered on exercises keyed to the sacred Zoroastrian calendar   • Details advanced magical rituals and practices based on archaic Persian formulas, including fire rituals and divine invocations   • Explores the history and lore of Persian magic, explaining how the author reconstructed the original Mazdan system of magic   Stephen Flowers explores the history, theory, practice, rituals, and initiations of the Mazdan magical system practiced by the Magi of ancient Persia, who were so skilled and famed for their effectiveness that their name came to mean what we today call “magic.” The prestige and reputation of the Magian priests of Mazda is perhaps most iconically recorded in the Christian story of the Three Wise Men who visited newborn Jesus.   The author explains how the religious branch of the Mazdan magical system, founded by the Prophet Zarathustra, is known in the West under the name Zoroastrianism. He reveals how the Zoroastrian religion, which acts as a matrix for the symbols and formulas of the original form of magic, has existed for almost four thousand years with roots going back even deeper into the Indo-European past. The author reveals how all other known systems of magic have borrowed from this tradition, providing the clues that enabled him to reformulate the original Mazdan system. He reviews what the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, Christians, and Chinese said about the Iranian-Persian tradition of the Mazdans and their invention of a magical technology. He explains how the ultimate aim of the original form of magic was not only individual wisdom, self-development, and empowerment, but also the overall betterment of the world.   Outlining the theoretical principles of this method, which can be applied in practical ways to deepen the effectiveness of these magical operations, the author details a complete curriculum of magical study and initiation based on a series of graded exercises keyed to the sacred Zoroastrian calendar. He then offers a series of more advanced magical rituals and practices based on archaic Persian formulas, including fire rituals and divine invocations. Providing a manual for the original magical system used by the members of the Great Fellowship, this book guides you toward the comprehensive practice of the Mazdan philosophy, the ultimate outcome of which is ushta: Happiness.Follow Our Other ShowsFollow UFO WitnessesFollow Crime Watch WeeklyFollow Paranormal FearsFollow Seven: Disturbing Chronicle StoriesJoin our Patreon for ad-free listening and more bonus content.Follow us on Instagram @mysteriousradioFollow us on TikTok mysteriousradioTikTok Follow us on Twitter @mysteriousradio Follow us on Pinterest pinterest.com/mysteriousradio Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/mysteriousradio]

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 30, 2024 is: syncretism • SING-kruh-tiz-um • noun Syncretism refers to the combining of different forms of belief or practice. // As a scholar of religion, Laila is especially interested in the syncretism of Manichaeism, which was influenced by Christianity, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism. See the entry > Examples: "Explore the archaeological wonders of Chavín de Huantar, where history comes alive. This village, steeped in cultural richness, provides a journey into Peru's ancient past. 'The village of Chavín de Huántar is an example of how tourism can foster syncretism between religious traditions and ancestral cultural elements, generating experiences with a positive impact for the population and improving the quality of life of its residents,' said the UNWTO [United Nations World Tourism Organization]." — Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2023 Did you know? The ancient Greeks used the term synkrētismos to refer to Cretan cities allied in opposition to a common enemy. In the early 17th century, English speakers adopted the term in the anglicized form syncretism to refer to the union of different religious beliefs. Three centuries later, lexicographers of the 1909 edition of Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language added a new definition of syncretism ("the union or fusion into one or two or more originally different inflectional forms, as of two cases"), but this specialized sense is rarely encountered outside of the field of linguistics. Some related terms that you are more likely to encounter are syncretize ("to attempt to unite and harmonize"), syncretist ("one who advocates syncretism"), and syncretic and syncretistic ("characterized or brought about by syncretism").

In today's episode of Vestiges After Dark, we are joined once again by JJ Johnson to explore the ancient and influential religion of Zoroastrianism. JJ will guide us through the core beliefs taught by the prophet Zarathustra, delving into the dualistic cosmology that defines the battle between Ahura Mazda, the god of light, and Angra Mainyu, the spirit of darkness. This episode promises to be both educational and fascinating, offering listeners a deep dive into one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions and its enduring impact on spiritual thought.To call into the show with your questions, comments, or stories, dial: (802) 321-0073.International callers may call free 'Skype to Skype' by dialing: eyeoftheseer They will also be taking your questions from the YouTube chatroom, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, and Spreaker.Music Credits (for full list click here: https://www.spreaker.com/show/vestige... Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Crowd Hammer Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... Bumper Music: NoCopyrightSounds Marin Hoxha & Chris Linton - With You [NCS Release] Tobu & Syndec - Dusk [NCS Release] Codeko - Crest [NCS Release] Syn Cole - Feel Good [NCS Release] Floatinurboat - Limbo (feat. ELIØTT) [NCS Release] Rival x Cadmium - Seasons (feat. Harley Bird) [NIVIRO Remix] | NCS Release] Robin Hustin x Tobimorrow - Light It Up (feat. Jex) [NCS Release] Jim Yosef & Anna Yvette - Linked [NCS Release] Kozah - Heavens [NCS Release] NIVIRO - Memes [NCS Release] Song: Mendum & Abandoned - Voyage (Feat. DNAKM) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Voyage Watch: • Mendum & Abandoned - Voyage (Feat. DN... Song: Unknown Brain & Hoober - Phenomenon (ft. Dax & VinDon) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Phenomenon Watch: • Unknown Brain & Hoober - Phenomenon (... Song: Robin Hustin & Jessica Chertock - Burn it Down [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/BurnItDown Watch: • Robin Hustin & Jessica Chertock - Bur... Song: Kozah - Nobody [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://NCS.io/Nobody Watch: • Kozah - Nobody [NCS Release] Song: NIVIRO - Demons [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/NDemons Watch: • NIVIRO - Demons | Electronic | NCS - ... Song: Unknown Brain - Childhood Dreams [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/ChildHoodDreams Watch: • Unknown Brain - Faceless (Album MIX) ... Song: Syn Cole - Time [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Time Watch: • Syn Cole - Time [NCS Release] Song: Jim Yosef - Fall With Me [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/FallWithMe Watch: • Unknown Brain - Waiting (feat. Lox Ch... Song: Mike Vallas, Jagsy & quaggin. - Left My Heart In Pain [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/LMHIP Watch: • Mike Vallas, Jagsy & quaggin. - Left ... Song: Barren Gates - Devil [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Devil Watch: • Barren Gates - Devil | Trap | NCS - C... Song: Inukshuk - The Long Road Home [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TLRH Watch: • Inukshuk - The Long Road Home [NCS Re... Song: Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TooFarGone Watch: • Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Song: Inukshuk - A World Away [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/aworldaway Watch: • Inukshuk - A World Away [NCS Release] Song: Voicians - Seconds [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/seconds Watch: Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/NeedYou Watch: • Lost Sky - Need You | Electronic | NC...

In today's episode of Vestiges After Dark, we are joined once again by JJ Johnson to explore the ancient and influential religion of Zoroastrianism. JJ will guide us through the core beliefs taught by the prophet Zarathustra, delving into the dualistic cosmology that defines the battle between Ahura Mazda, the god of light, and Angra Mainyu, the spirit of darkness. This episode promises to be both educational and fascinating, offering listeners a deep dive into one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions and its enduring impact on spiritual thought.To call into the show with your questions, comments, or stories, dial: (802) 321-0073.International callers may call free 'Skype to Skype' by dialing: eyeoftheseer They will also be taking your questions from the YouTube chatroom, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, and Spreaker.Music Credits (for full list click here: https://www.spreaker.com/show/vestige... Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Crowd Hammer Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... Bumper Music: NoCopyrightSounds Marin Hoxha & Chris Linton - With You [NCS Release] Tobu & Syndec - Dusk [NCS Release] Codeko - Crest [NCS Release] Syn Cole - Feel Good [NCS Release] Floatinurboat - Limbo (feat. ELIØTT) [NCS Release] Rival x Cadmium - Seasons (feat. Harley Bird) [NIVIRO Remix] | NCS Release] Robin Hustin x Tobimorrow - Light It Up (feat. Jex) [NCS Release] Jim Yosef & Anna Yvette - Linked [NCS Release] Kozah - Heavens [NCS Release] NIVIRO - Memes [NCS Release] Song: Mendum & Abandoned - Voyage (Feat. DNAKM) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Voyage Watch: • Mendum & Abandoned - Voyage (Feat. DN... Song: Unknown Brain & Hoober - Phenomenon (ft. Dax & VinDon) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Phenomenon Watch: • Unknown Brain & Hoober - Phenomenon (... Song: Robin Hustin & Jessica Chertock - Burn it Down [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/BurnItDown Watch: • Robin Hustin & Jessica Chertock - Bur... Song: Kozah - Nobody [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://NCS.io/Nobody Watch: • Kozah - Nobody [NCS Release] Song: NIVIRO - Demons [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/NDemons Watch: • NIVIRO - Demons | Electronic | NCS - ... Song: Unknown Brain - Childhood Dreams [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/ChildHoodDreams Watch: • Unknown Brain - Faceless (Album MIX) ... Song: Syn Cole - Time [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Time Watch: • Syn Cole - Time [NCS Release] Song: Jim Yosef - Fall With Me [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/FallWithMe Watch: • Unknown Brain - Waiting (feat. Lox Ch... Song: Mike Vallas, Jagsy & quaggin. - Left My Heart In Pain [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/LMHIP Watch: • Mike Vallas, Jagsy & quaggin. - Left ... Song: Barren Gates - Devil [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Devil Watch: • Barren Gates - Devil | Trap | NCS - C... Song: Inukshuk - The Long Road Home [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TLRH Watch: • Inukshuk - The Long Road Home [NCS Re... Song: Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TooFarGone Watch: • Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Song: Inukshuk - A World Away [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/aworldaway Watch: • Inukshuk - A World Away [NCS Release] Song: Voicians - Seconds [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/seconds Watch: Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/NeedYou Watch: • Lost Sky - Need You | Electronic | NC...

Has it come to this? Ratting on a neighbor over their political signs. Then Coconino County Supervisor Patrice Horstman (25:00) joins me to discuss Prop 482 and why she believes the “expenditure limit” from 1979 should be adjusted higher. Abel Maldonado, the “last” Lt. Governor of California shares (41:00) what it was like working with Kamala Harris and what she's done to San Francisco. The Ten Commandments, Zoroastrianism and more with Olivia and everything is now climate change & “unnatural disasters” (65:00).

Reach out to us!Want to be a guest or share your paranormal experiences? Email ustwroadpodcast@gmail.comIn Episode 82 the guys continue the conversation of eternal damnation but are joined by JJ from The Southern Demonology Podcast.In this episode JJ discusses the different beliefs in Zoroastrianism & Second Temple Judaism and how the concept of eternal damnation is viewed in those respective faiths.Tune in to part 2 of a potential 3 part series on the concept of eternal damnation! Support the showSOCIAL MEDIATwitter: @TWRoadpodcastIG: twroadpodcastWant to be a guest or share your paranormal experiences? Email us!twroadpodcast@gmail.com

Dust off your halo and flap your wings, dearest ravens, as today we're rejoicing in the absolutely bonkers history of Angels, following up on last year's "Haunting Season" episode about Demons.Part of the "Three Ravens Bestiary" series, we start by discussing how words for things like "angels" and "God" in ancient texts have created a mess of confusions across the ages. Then we leap straight down from heaven (or out of a hidden dimension, at the very least) to discuss how ancient ideas like Animism and Polytheism laid the foundations that enabled the introduction of Angels into early Abrahamic religious texts.Through discussions of Zoroastrianism, Yahwism, and ancient apocryphal mystic writings, we dig into some fascinating stuff, including 'Guardian Angels' in general, specific Angels, like Michael, Gabriel, Samael, and Metatron, and chat about how a proliferation of esoteric writings throughout the Dark Ages and Medieval Era spun 'Angelologies' out in some pretty weird directions.From the mysteries of Gnosticism and the Kabbalah to descriptions of what Cherubum, Seraphim and Elohim actually look like (which is not as you might expect) it's an episode of big ideas and bizarre truths that might just change how you think about Angels. And likely modify how you describe your loved ones. Because if your children or significant other really are "angels" then, frankly, you should be cowering in terror!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if breaking through your internal struggles could reveal a profound sense of self-worth and connection to a higher power? Join us for a heartfelt exploration of divine will, free will, and the unity of all faith traditions. We begin with reflections on finding strength through a higher power, followed by Sarah's enlightening introduction to the Sufi invocation. With insights from Puro Murshid Inayat Khan, we honor the interconnectedness of Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam through a symbolic candle lighting ceremony, celebrating our universal quest for wisdom and spiritual inclusivity.How do different faith traditions perceive the balance between free will and divine will? In this episode, we dive into scriptures from various religions, reflecting on consciousness, personal sovereignty, and the immense gratitude owed to the divine for guiding us with wisdom and compassion. From the Upanishads to the Quran, we explore the delicate interplay between individual actions and divine influence. We also share a Sufi perspective on universal and individual will, highlighting the strength found in aligning personal will with universal forces and the profound impact it can have on our spiritual journey.Choosing joy amidst life's challenges can be one of the most empowering decisions we make. We conclude this episode by discussing the journey of the soul through different realms and the cultivation of free will through intention, awareness, and love. Through personal stories and reflections, we emphasize the importance of maintaining a positive outlook, even during tough times, and the transformative power of joy. Finally, we invite you to join us in a melodic Sufi meditation that aligns our sense of self with the divine, reinforcing the joy and personal responsibility that can shape our lives for the better. Tune in to embrace the transformative power of joy and spiritual growth.

Jim talks with Alexander Bard for the first in a series of conversations about his and Jan Söderqvist's recent book Process and Event. They discuss Jim's process for reading the book, metaphysics, narratology, the socion, dividuals vs individuals, a biochemical definition of individuality, eventology, Alexander's conversion to Zoroastrianism, nomadology, Nietzsche's concept of the eternal recurrence, 4 varieties of time, a defense of armchair philosophy, phallic linear time, the phallic gaze & direction, transcendental emergentism, the tendency to want a single explanation, problems with emergentism, emergence vectors, the ubiquity of uniqueness, the Great Filter, the narratological triad, 3 brains & their proportions in the population, the problem with literal belief in mythos, root of the phallus, the end of the age of mass religion, the barred absolute & whether it's desirable, tribopoiesis, membranes & boundaries, lawful semipermeability, membranics as a dialectical process, tantric labs, coherent pluralism & Zoroastrianism, decentralization, avoiding tyranny, disenfranchising the emergence of big men, boy pharaohs vs pillar saints, and much more. Episode Transcript Process and Event, by Alexander Bard and Jan Söderqvist JRS Currents 065: Alexander Bard on Protopian Narratology JRS EP95 - Alexander Bard on God in the Internet Age JRS Currents 100: Sara Walker and Lee Cronin on Time as an Object The Emergence of Everything: How the World Became Complex, by Harold Morowitz Hierarchy in the Forest: The Evolution of Egalitarian Behavior, by Christopher Boehm Alexander Bard is a philosopher, artist, songwriter and music producer, author of six books with Jan Söderqvist, living in Stockholm, Sweden. Bard built his career as a philosopher in parallel with a highly successful 25-years-plus career in the international music industry. Bard & Söderqvist's philosophy concentrates on the relationship between human beings and technology, using human beings as the constant throughout civilization, with technology as the ever faster changing variable. Their work takes inspiration from thinkers like Hegel, Nietzsche, Whitehead, Deleuze, and Eastern philosophy and spirituality, in the latter case adding Persia to the well known triad of India, China and Japan. They are convinced philosophy will be the last human activity to ever be affected by AI.  

In the first episode of our miniseries of podcasts celebrating South Asian Heritage Month 2024, Gautam Bhattacharyya, chair of Reed Smith's India Business team, welcomes Yasmin Batliwala MBE, CEO of Advocates for International Development. Together, they explore Yasmin's career path, her mentors and inspirations, her passion for pro bono work and the significance of her Parsi heritage. ----more---- Transcript: Intro: Welcome to the Reed Smith Podcast, Inclusivity Included: Powerful Personal Stories. In each episode of this podcast,  our guests will share their personal stories, passions, and challenges, past and present, all with the goal of bringing people together and learning more about others.  You might be surprised by what we all have in common, inclusivity included.   Gautam: Hello everyone and welcome to another of our Reed Smith podcasts and this one is part of our special mini-series to celebrate and mark South Asian Heritage Month 2024 and I'm overjoyed to have as our podcast today the incredibly impressive Yasmin Batliwala. Hello Yasmin.  Yasmin: Hello Gautam, lovely to be here.  Gautam: It's lovely to have you and I've been really so excited to do this podcast with you. For our listeners, I'm going to introduce Yasmin so you can appreciate just what an amazing person she is. Yasmin is the chief executive of Advocates for International Development, a very prominent pro bono and CSR institution with which Reed Smith has had a very long and happy relationship and association. And we continue to do so. And I've known Yasmin for many, many years. and we've had many a discussion about our shared passion for pro bono work and the importance of lawyers doing pro bono work and the impact that it has. Yasmin is responsible for overseeing the work of A4ID, as I'll call it, and she's held many prominent roles in the public and third sector over her very illustrious career. Apart from pro bono work, her portfolios have included some incredible causes. Those include HIV and AIDS, drug alcohol, dependency, and criminal justice. She has also undertaken work for the UN's Office of Drugs and Crime, and has a great deal of board experience too, having, amongst other things, been on the board of a large NHS trust. Yasmin also, to the extent she has spare time, and I'm stunned she does have spare time, has also served as a magistrate in the Youth and Adult Courts. She's also, as you can imagine, been the recipient of several honors. And amongst those, and there are many of them, she has been awarded the City of London Woman of Achievement for her public service work. And in 2022, Yasmin received an MBE for her work in human rights, the rule of law and international development as part of the Queen's New Year's honors list. So it really is a wonderful privilege to be speaking to you on this podcast, Yasmin, and I'm really looking forward to our discussions. Now, let me start with this as we get into our discussion. Tell us a little bit about your career background. I've already highlighted for our listeners a few of the roles that you've undertaken prior to your current role as chief executive of A4ID. But I wonder whether you could give us a little bit of a background about how you got to your role at A4ID and your career background, which has led up to that.  Yasmin: Thank you very much, Gautam. I'd like to start then by thanking you for inviting me to join in this podcast and for the opportunity to talk about the work of Advocates for International Development, which I know that you know that I'm truly passionate about. So to answer your question about what I was doing prior to A4ID work-wise, before joining A4ID, basically I ran my own consultancy, providing senior level support to the public and non-profit sectors. My work primarily involved problem solving, managing teams, assisting the recruitment of CEOs and other executive positions. And I should say that I thoroughly enjoyed being self-employed as it allowed me to spend quality time with my two young daughters as they were then. And I could work during their nursery hours and resume tasks when they were asleep. And incidentally, I even earned more money than I've ever done since while I was working for myself. Throughout my career, I think you've said, I have worked mainly in the public and non-profit sector. And you've indicated the background work I've done within the drugs field and also in HIV. And I've also served, as you've mentioned, on various boards, including also a university, as well as on police authority, where I briefly held position of chair. I currently chair VIA, formerly known as WDP, which is a leading charity providing drug and alcohol services across the UK. VIA is known for its quality of services and innovative approach. And I like to think that my leadership has played a role in its success. Now, in respect to other things that have brought me to A4ID, I was invited to get involved with A4ID just by chance. Someone suggested that I met the executive director at the time. She and I got on swimmingly and as a consequence of that I started to work with her to look at how we could build the organization so that's really a potted summary of my career to date.  Gautam: Well thank you and it really is I mean you know you've packed a lot in in your wonderful career today and undertaking some amazing work for lots of really important causes and you know I think I think one of the things I just want to step back to is you've had a very impressive career. Of that, there's no doubt. And it's ongoing, right? You're not finished yet. Not by a long way. But we all benefit from mentors and inspirations in the course of our career. And I wonder whether you could share with our listeners some of your biggest career mentors and inspirations so far.  Yasmin: Gautam, I think that's a really difficult question because I have been inspired by so many people over the years. Obviously, those who have supported and encouraged me stand out, ranging from my line managers and peers to various teams that I've worked with, including actually my current team. Indeed, my very first job was doing what was called action research on illicit drug use in SW5, which is Earls Court, and also the West End. Professor Betsy Ettore was my line manager at the time, and she was simply amazing. She encouraged me to think for myself and was always available when I needed her. I was at the time fresh out of university and yet she treated me like an equal and I valued that because she actually listened very carefully to what I had to say and supported my ambition for the study that we were doing. Now coming back to where I am today I suppose I especially want to mention the board of A4ID. Their support has been incredible but it's their pioneering spirit and belief that everything is possible that truly inspires me. They also believe in me personally which has been invaluable and enabled me to push forward with our vision. Roger Leese, the chair of A4ID and a partner at Clifford Chance, has perhaps been a significant inspiration throughout our time working together. We've often solved problems by approaching them from completely different perspectives, and his insights have always been spot on. Indeed, the longer I have known him, the more I've come to respect him. To me, integrity and respect are very important in those that have inspired me. And perhaps the reason I've been working in this role for so long has been mainly because of the individuals that I have been fortunate to come across over the years. Now, I've been particularly impressed by the legal profession's can-do culture and their attitude that everything and anything is possible, which happens also to be my perspective in life. This approach and their understated passion is something I greatly admire. The entire legal pro bono community, from international law firms that we work with, to in-house counsel, the judiciary, paralegals and barristers, demonstrate to me their remarkable dedication. They use their skills and intellect to contribute to the greater good, often without expecting recognition or even a pat on the back. Let me give you an example close to home. Now, you've mentioned just in your start the involvement of Reed Smith. So when I joined A4ID, Reed Smith provided us with the accommodation. At that time, A4ID was a much smaller organization with fewer staff and a smaller turnover. Right. Without Reed Smith's support, I'm not sure A4ID would have thrived. Reed Smith even contributed their staff's time to oversee the development of A4ID at the beginning, not seeking thanks or recognition, just doing what they could to help the cause. If anything was requested from them, they would think about it and come back to us with a solution about how to make it happen. So I, for one, have immense admiration for Reed Smith and the support that the firm has provided ever since our inception in 2006. Many of our law firms have also, as well as corporate partners, have also shown and continue to show some support over the years. They've supported A4ID in its journey and through us have provided expert pro bono legal advice to international development sector and have also donated funds to enable us to exist and to function. And I firmly believe that through the law, we can change the world for the greater good and that lawyers have a key role to play in making this happen. Imagine no other profession is able to achieve this, only the legal profession. What inspiration is that? So to answer your question, I would say I've been most inspired by the legal sector with which I've been fortunate to work with and why I'm still in this role after all these many years.  Gautam: Well, thank you, Yasmin. That was an incredibly impressive set of points. And I just wonder if I could dig into that a little bit. Extremely, there's a lot I could unpack there. But let me focus on what makes pro bono work so important. Now, we all know it's really important. It has real impact. And lawyers are integral to that. And so I wonder whether you could give us your thoughts on just why pro bono work is so important and why law firms and the teamwork that they achieve is so important to make that happen. You mentioned in your answer just now just how unique in many ways the legal profession is to be able to deliver those sorts of services and results. And I certainly know how enriching it's been for me personally to be heavily involved in pro bono work for so many years. But I wonder whether you could share your thoughts on that, please.  Yasmin: Thanks, Gautam. I would say that pro bono work is vital because it allows professionals and the corporates to give back to the community, promoting social justice and addressing systemic inequalities. qualities. By providing free legal services to those who cannot afford them, pro bono work ensures that access to justice is not limited by financial means. This contribution really helps to level the playing field, ensuring that vulnerable and marginalized communities and individuals can defend their rights and receive fair treatment under the law. If you look at CSR for law firms, on the other hand, I think it encompasses a broader range of activities beyond pro bono work, which includes ethical business practices, environmental sustainability and community engagement. Pro Bono also, I would say, demonstrates the company's commitment to operating responsibly and contributing positively to society. These initiatives enhance the company's reputation, build trust with stakeholders, and also we find continually that it can lead to increased employee satisfaction and retention. Through pro bono, law firms and corporates can address various social issues from poverty and education to health and environmental protection. The other thing I think that's really important with regard to pro bono, is teamwork that law firms can do. Teamwork is essential in making pro bono successful because it allows the pooling of resources, expertise and networks. Law firms possess specialized legal knowledge and skills and are crucial for tackling complex legal issues. By collaborating, firms can leverage their collective expertise to provide a comprehensive and effective legal assistance. I think this collaborative approach really does ensure that beneficiaries receive high quality support, which are tailored to their specific needs. Also, teamwork among law firms fosters a culture of shared responsibility and mutual support. And we find that when law firms work together with us on pro bono projects, they can share best practices, learn from each other's experiences, and really develop innovative solutions to very common challenges. This collective effort amplifies the impact of their work, making it possible to address larger and more complex issues than any single firm could or tackle alone. It also, I suppose, fosters a sense of solidarity and purpose within the legal community as a whole. So collaboration enhances the reach and scalability of pro bono. By joining forces, and certainly by joining forces with us, law firms can extend their service to a broader range of beneficiaries and communities. This expanded reach is particularly important in addressing systemic issues that require coordinated efforts across different jurisdictions and different sectors which apply to us at A4ID. Collaborative initiatives can mobilize more resources including funding, personnel, technological tools to support large-scale projects and long-term interventions. In fact, teamwork with law firms also provide opportunities for professional development and capacity building. We find and I find continually that lawyers engaged in pro bono work gain valuable experience and skills to enhance their professional growth. Put simply pro bono work makes you a better lawyer. The reason is obvious through A4ID lawyers are exposed to diverse legal issues and client populations broadening their perspective and very much enriching their practices. Additionally, firms that actively participate in these initiatives can attract and retain talent by demonstrating their commitment to social justice as well as ethical practices. And as I've said already, co-ordinated efforts in pro bono can lead to systemic change by addressing root causes of social issues and advocating for policy reforms, law firms can help to create a more equitable and just society. Collaborative projects that people do with A4ID often involve strategic litigation, legislative advocacy and public education concerns, campaigns that go beyond individual cases to affect broader societal change. This strategic approach maximizes the long-term impact of pro bono. So effective teamwork also ensures that pro bono is sustainable. And by sharing the workload and resources, firms can maintain those long-term communities to these projects. Sustainability, after all, is crucial for achieving lasting impact and ensuring that the beneficiaries receive continuous support. Collaborative efforts help distribute the responsibilities and costs which are associated with these initiatives, making it much easier for firms to sustain their involvement over time. So to conclude, pro bono work is essential promoting social justice, corporate responsibility. Teamwork with law firms is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness and reach and sustainability of these initiatives. And through collaboration, law firms can leverage their collective expertise, resources and networks works to make a significant positive impact on society and advance the cause of justice for all. So in a nutshell, that's what makes pro bono so incredibly important.  Gautam: Thank you, Yasmin. And you know, everything you said there, I was just absorbing and just realizing just how it all aligns with exactly how I see it. Because I can honestly tell you, Yasmin that us and you know we've had many a conversation about what pro bono means to each of us but i know that some of my most satisfying outcomes that i've achieved as a lawyer for clients for for pro bono clients have come from that sort of work it's it's not just about doing big cases as we do and as i as i do for big corporate companies a big industrial groups for governments, etc, etc. That's, of course, very important to the life of a law firm. But a law firm needs to be known for everything it brings. And I can honestly say, and I can't talk about some of these cases, but some of the most important cases I've done have involved taking on the establishment. Establishment for people who would otherwise not have access to law firms what I call big law big law firms and those law firms come together in teams like you say often in conjunction with other law firms and there are a number of examples where Reed Smith has teamed up with other law firms and it's a wonderful thing because the perception is otherwise that law firms are all competitors. They're like boxers in a boxing ring. But we're not actually. That's really a myth. We operate in a marketplace, yes, but on pro bono work, we actually come together in a very productive way. And so, no, thank you for sharing those really, really, really amazing thoughts, because I'm sure our listeners, it'll really resonate with our listeners. So thank you for that, Yasmin. I wonder whether I could just now turn to the question of heritage, because heritage is obviously a very important thing. And this podcast is being recorded and will be published as part of South Asian Heritage Month. And I wonder whether you could just share with us a little bit about what makes your heritage so empowering and so important and uplifting for you.  Yasmin: Well, Gautam, as you know, I'm a Parsi. Parsis originated from ancient Persia and fled to India, I think around the 6th, 7th century to escape religious persecution. Their successful integration and preservation of our culture and religious identity in a foreign land. For me, I think exemplify the resilience and adaptability of the community of Parsis. The religion of the Parsi community is Zoroastrianism, which places its values of saying good thoughts, good words and good deeds and doing good deeds. This provides very much of a strong moral and ethical foundation, promoting a positive and proactive approach to life and encouraging meaningful contributions to society. And despite being a small community, and I do mean small, as a number of Parsis are reducing year on year to the point of extinction, I should say, Parsis have made significant contributions in various fields such as business, science, arts and philanthropy. Indeed, social responsibility and generosity of spirit are highly encouraged within the community. So I suppose my heritage is empowering and uplifting because it connects me to a rich and a diverse cultural tapestry that informs my identity and sense of self. This connection to my roots provides me with a deep understanding of where I come from and the traditions that have shaped my community over generations. The stories, the customs and values that have been passed down to me are a source of pride and strength, offering a foundation upon which I can build my own life and my own aspirations. Considerations this cultural inheritance if you like acts as my guiding light influencing my values behaviors and perspectives cultural heritage has also paid i think a significant role in shaping my world view and moral compass the values and ethics inherited from my cultural background guide me guide my actions and decisions promoting principles such as respect as i've have mentioned before, integrity, but also responsibility. These values are not just abstract concepts. They are lived experiences demonstrated by my family members and the community. This moral grounding is empowering as it provides clear guidelines on how to navigate life's complexities and make meaningful contributions to society. And as I've mentioned, My commitment can only be demonstrated by my contribution to the various public sector boards and roles that I've had within the community in which I live. So that's very, for me, a very important part of being a Parsi and a member of a community that will disappear, I suspect, in the not too distant future.  Gautam: Yeah, no, thank you, Yasmin. I am indeed very familiar with the Parsi history. And indeed, many of my best friends in the law are Parsis. And if I just take one jurisdiction, for example, in India, right, which you, of course, know very well, there are many prominent Parsi lawyers. And there have been. One of my greatest mentors was Fali Nariman, who was India's most celebrated lawyer, who unfortunately passed away in February of this year. But many, many prominent lawyers in India are Parsis. And many of the big industrial houses, as you know, in India, are Parsi in origin and remain Parsi in management and in all that they do. And those concepts of doing business fairly and being philanthropic, like very heart of Parsi culture. So it's very interesting. And I recall also, I grew up, Yasmin, in Northwest London. And very near where I went to school, there was an old cinema that stopped showing films. And it was taken over by the Parsi community. And it became a Zoroastrian center of worship. And this goes back to my much younger days. So I'm very familiar with that. And it's very interesting how it continues to inform you and inspire you, because it should do. And I also, I'm also very familiar with the fact that the Parsi community is getting smaller. As people marry outside of the Parsi faith, that inevitably has an impact. But the pride and the history of the Parsis is so rich. And, you know, it'll always be everlasting. So, and there's a long way yet to go. So, no, thank you for that. That's really, really nice to know. And, you know, just one last question on that before we turn to the last topic. What, in terms of looking at the examples of what the Parsi tradition and faith and heritage has taught you, one of the things that I'm always very mindful of is that the pro bono tradition, as I call it, is very well developed in certain jurisdictions. Jurisdictions but it's yet to develop fully in some jurisdictions now one of the countries where it is gathering pace is certainly India but just look at the size of that country and the legal community there i mean just briefly what you know what are your thoughts about what we could do to try to expand the pro bono tradition in a wonderful jurisdiction like India,  Yasmin: Actually, I think there's an awful lot that can be done. There's certainly an interest. We have been working in India and in fact have an entity called the A4ID Foundation, which is wholly Indian. We've been working alongside some amazing lawyers. In fact, part of the board comprises of some absolutely amazing Indian lawyers who are working with us to develop this. So we are bringing the culture to the pro bono culture that already exists, actually, within India and within the Indian community. But it's about using their legal brains that we're starting to to encourage. And that's happening, happening slowly, but it is happening. And with the vast number of lawyers in India, just think what we could do. Amazing. The other thing I wanted to just mention in terms of what you said was this week I received a gift from one of my team, members of my team. He's actually based in India. And the gift was a signed copy of the constitution, Indian constitution by Nariman.  Gautam: Oh, wow. Yeah. It's a wonderful book. Yes. And so I've been dipping since he sent it to me. I've been dipping in it. It's quite a quite a tomb. And I actually thought when I saw it, oh, my God, am I going to be able to read this? Because, you know, it's quite an interesting but quite a how can I put it, a dry topic.  Gautam: Yeah.  Yasmin: But having looked at it and read through it, it's actually brilliantly easy to read. He simplifies things because he knows the subject area so well that it's so easy to read. And I would thoroughly recommend if you have the opportunity to do so. And that includes your the people listening to this. I would thoroughly recommend it. It's a fantastic read.  Gautam: I agree. And, you know, the whole concept of the constitution is so important because it comes down to fundamental principles of fairness and doing things in an orderly way, in a proper way, and upholding that separation of power and not enabling things to just become merged as one. And that independence of thought is very very important now that's well i i think you're very fortunate to have a signed copy of that of that tome um i'm sure it'll be well thumbed in days and weeks to come as you read it so yes we've come almost to the end of our podcast and i've enjoyed, as i always do speaking to you i've had as i've said in the introduction i've had many a conversation with you over the years. I've always come away a much better person after each of those conversations, and this conversation has certainly been no exception to that. One of the traditions that we have in this podcast series, and I'm going to maintain that tradition even though this is a mini-series for South Asian Heritage Month, is to ask you a few more lighthearted things, to get to know the non-pro bono chief executive, Yasmin Batliwala. And so I want to ask you three very, very simple questions. Nothing mean, because I'm not a mean person, as you know, Yasmin. I want to ask you three little questions. First of all, have you got a favorite sort of music?  Yasmin: So on that question, I'd say, where do I start? I like all sorts of music. I have a particular preference, I should say, for classical music. Anything, anything at all by Mozart or J.S. Bach are things that I would be listening to regularly. I also like opera. In fact, I love opera. And I'm also a fan of David Bowie, I should say. But recently, Gautam, I've discovered a new genre of music, and that's heavy metal and electronic music.  Gautam: Amazing.  Yasmin: I've discovered a band called Disturbed, who are amazing. So to all your listeners, I encourage you to listen to their rendition of Simon and Garfunkel's song, Sound of Silence, which is absolutely mesmerizing and haunting.  Gautam: I'm going to check it out myself.  Yasmin: So let me know what you think. I've also discovered a band called Rammstein. I think that's how you pronounce it, which is a German heavy metal group of the 1990s. And I think, I think, and I seem to be listening to them quite a lot. And finally, I've also discovered, recently discovered, Mongolian electronic throat music. And that's totally blown me away. So I've been listening to that. So in terms of my musical taste, it's slightly expanding.  Gautam: That is incredibly eclectic. And I'm going to check out the German metal band and the rendition of Sound of Silence. I'm going to check those out. And I must tell you just very briefly on the Mongolian throat music. Many years ago, I was very fortunate to do a case for the government of Mongolia. It was a litigation in the English courts. And it went all the way to the Court of Appeal here. And I'm very happy that we won in the High Court and in the Court of Appeal. And I had the very good fortune to get to Mongolia twice on that case and to the great city of Ulaanbaatar. And I got introduced to Mongolian throat music. Now, the first trip was 2002-2003, around about then. I've not heard the electronic version as yet, but I'm certainly aware of the more basic classical rendition of throat singing. And also on that trip, I also learned about the eagle dance, which is a very famous dance that they do because the eagle and horses are very revered in Mongolia. And there's a dance which the wrestlers, Mongolian wrestling is also very popular and the wrestlers before they start the bout do this thing called the eagle dance. It's, I mean, I'll tell you more about it when I see you next. Okay, just two more quick ones and then I know we'll wrap. But have you got a favorite holiday destination or place that you just love to visit?  Yasmin: I, yeah, I like it. I love Italy. I don't think I've ever been to any single place And I like to travel around and visit different places that I haven't liked. So I like Italy. I like Italy also. But not only its beauty, its architecture, but the food and the people. So it's not far too far away from the UK. And so if ever I have an opportunity, I've gone to Italy. Recently, though, I went to Sicily. And that was a real find because it's obviously, I mean, talking about cultural traditions and cultural heritage, it seems to have been basically every country has stepped foot on it and taken it over. And it's left these amazing it's the amazing footprints so we've got the Greeks we've got the Normans we've got the various Moors as well all of them make it such a very interesting place.  Gautam: Absolutely. It just shows how cultures have moved around the world. One last question. We are recording this podcast during the European Championships in football. And this is not a leading question. And I am a lawyer. So this is not a leading question. Who's going to win the European Championships? Which country?  Yasmin: I'm afraid I don't watch football. So I can't answer that question. I have been to football matches, Gautam, and I haven't known what's been going on. This was during my time at the police authority, where I went out with the police at Watford to observe how policing was done. It was a lovely day, although we got up incredibly early, I seem to recall. But I had no idea what was going on in the pitch. Um it was slightly tribal in terms of the shouting. It was Manchester and Watford Manchester not sure if it was City or United. I think it was City it had um one of the Gallagher um one of the Gallagher  Gautam: Yeah it's Man City then  Yasmin: Yeah so just to watch that whole kind of tribal way was quite fascinating so i'm afraid i can't answer your question.  Gautam: That's quite okay you um you've answered many many questions in the course of this podcast yasmin thank you very much for doing this podcast it's been a delight to do it and to speak to you and um I could literally have asked you lots more questions and spent more time but these podcasts unfortunately would go on for a very long time if we did that but thank you very much indeed and thank you particularly for doing all the wonderful work that you continue to do on the the pro bono side and the great example you set through your leadership. So thank you very much.  Yasmin: Gautam, thank you so much also for inviting me to this podcast, which I must say I've enjoyed immensely. And if anyone listening out there is interested to work together with us at A4ID, please do contact me. And who knows what we can achieve together.  Gautam: Thank you, Yasmin.  Outro: Arbitral Insights is a Reed Smith production. Our producer is Ali McCardell. For more information about Reed Smith's global international arbitration practice, email arbitralinsights@reedsmith.com. To learn about the Reed Smith Arbitration Pricing Calculator, a first-of-its-kind mobile app that forecasts the cost of arbitration around the world, search Arbitration Pricing Calculator on reedsmith.com or download for free through the Apple and Google Play app stores. You can find our podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google Play, Stitcher, reedsmith.com, and our social media accounts at Reed Smith LLP on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.  Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice and is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship, nor is it intended to suggest or establish standards of care applicable to particular lawyers in any given situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Any views, opinions, or comments made by any external guest speaker are not to be attributed to Reed Smith LLP or its individual lawyers.  All rights reserved. Transcript is auto-generated.

A new edition of Roqe, featuring a deep dive into the pre-Islam history of Iran with acclaimed cultural historian Dr. Richard Foltz and an examination of how the common conflation of Iranians and Islam (and Islamism) is actually not historically supported. Dr. Foltz joins Jian to discuss Iran before the arrival of Islam in the 7th century, shedding light on the ancient Persian empires, Zoroastrianism, and the rich cultural heritage that predates Islamic influence. Dr. Foltz, a Canadian scholar with a PhD in Middle Eastern History from Harvard University and a professor at Concordia University in Montréal, brings his extensive knowledge of Iranian civilization and its far-reaching impacts on the broader region. Plus, Pegah and Jian convene for the Roqe Roundup to discuss the upcoming runoff election in Iran this Friday, and the numerous football games and football fever brewing.

Hosein Kouros-Mehr, MD, PhD, is an author and physician-scientist who has spent over two decades in cancer research and drug development. Thanks to his background, Hosein recognized the extraordinary ramifications of a recent scientific discovery: the default mode network (DMN), which encodes the human ego and influences our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Recognizing the profound impact of this breakthrough on self-understanding (both from clinical and personal experience), he wrote, Break Through: Master Your Default Mode and Thrive, to help readers master the DMN and live happier, more fulfilling lives. Hosein is also the author of two futuristic novels, Extinction 6, and Project Bodi: Awaken the Power of Insight, that explore the inner workings of the mind. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.

What if a pathway existed to seamlessly connect the realms of Eastern and Western spirituality? As we delve into history, tracing the footsteps along the ancient Silk Road trade routes spanning over 3000 years, we uncover a unique convergence of spiritual wisdom. Within this historical tapestry, Ancient Persia emerges as a pivotal connection point, embodying the heritage of Zoroastrianism—a profound bridge between the spiritual traditions of the East and West.  In this episode with tantric monk and philosopher Alexander Bard, we explore the enduring influence of Zoroastrianism, a 3700-year-old religion that serves as a profound connection between these two worlds. We delve deep into the teachings, practices, and philosophy of Zoroaster, and the impact they could have on our modern nihilistic society that finds itself in a crisis of meaning. From embracing psychedelics to the timeless struggle between good and evil, Bard challenges you to rethink the essence of spirituality.  This episode is sponsored by: MUD/WTR Go to MUDWTR.com/amp to save $20 on your subscription and claim your freebies.  SACRED HUNTING Go to ⁠www.sacredhunting.com/ ⁠and mention Aubrey's name/podcast for $250 off | Connect with Alexander Bard | Twitter | X | @bardissimo Instagram | www.instagram.com/alexanderbard123/ Facebook | www.facebook.com/alexander.bard ⁠⁠⁠⁠To partner with the Aubrey Marcus Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Connect with Aubrey | Website | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2GesYqi ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2BlfCEO ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2F4nBZk ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter |⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://bit.ly/2BlGBAdAd⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out "Own your Day, Own Your Life" by Aubrey Marcus | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2vRz4so⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the Aubrey Marcus newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.aubreymarcus.com/pages/email⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the Aubrey Marcus podcast: iTunes | ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/2lMZRCn ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify |⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://spoti.fi/2EaELZO ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stitcher | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2G8ccJt ⁠⁠⁠⁠ IHeartRadio | ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ihr.fm/3CiV4x3 ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Google Podcasts | ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3nzCJEh ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Android | ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2OQeBQg⁠