Of Selfhood and Awakening. William Blake and the Book of Job

An audio version of this talk is at my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. The Book of Job has been used to retell the Christian story, as with Carl Jung’s Answer to Job. It can also be sought for what it says about suffering. The Hebrew tale inspired William Blake in a… Continue reading Of Selfhood and Awakening. William Blake and the Book of Job

Spinoza’s Nondualism. Clare Carlisle talks with Mark Vernon about her book, Spinoza’s Religion

An audio version of this conversation is on my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. Baruch Spinoza is widely regarded as either a God-forsaking atheist or a God-intoxicated pantheist, but Clare Carlisle says that he was neither. In her latest book, Spinoza’s Religion, she reads his masterpiece, the Ethics, to show that being-in-God… Continue reading Spinoza’s Nondualism. Clare Carlisle talks with Mark Vernon about her book, Spinoza’s Religion

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A Path Through Suffering

An audio version of this talk is on my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. The labyrinth at Penpont offers a chance to reflect on suffering, with thanks too to William Blake.

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William Blake and the Future of Christianity

An audio version of this talk is on my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. A talk give at St Matthew’s Church, Wimbledon, London on 12th July 2022.

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Science with Soul. Reflecting on Rupert Sheldrake’s 80th Birthday Celebration

An audio version of this discussion is at my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. The Scientific and Medical Network organised a gathering on Friday 8th July to mark Rupert’s 80th birthday and reflect on his work. In this episode of the Sheldrake-Vernon Dialogues, Rupert and Mark Vernon discuss the day, recalling remarks… Continue reading Science with Soul. Reflecting on Rupert Sheldrake’s 80th Birthday Celebration

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Freedom, power & the spiritual commons. More thoughts on The Dawn of Everything by Graeber & Wengrow

I was delighted to meet David Wengrow at the Idler Festival. His coauthor, David Graeber, was a great friend of the Idler. David Wengrow and I spoke about their revolutionary, fascinating and inspiring book, The Dawn of Everything. It challenges the concensus history and prehistory of humanity, as found in writers such as Steven Pinker… Continue reading Freedom, power & the spiritual commons. More thoughts on The Dawn of Everything by Graeber & Wengrow

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Dante, cosmology, and a conversation at Rupert Sheldrake’s 80th do

Bernard Carr is a leading cosmologist who worked with Stephen Hawking and now investigates time, multidimensionality and consciousness, amongst other things. Bernardo Kastrup cites him as at the vanguard of the great task to integrate matter and mind. So I was delighted to get the chance to ask Bernard about images from Dante. We talked… Continue reading Dante, cosmology, and a conversation at Rupert Sheldrake’s 80th do

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“Death and life are asymmetrically joined. Therein lies hope.” – article in YoHo

This is a response to an article by Richard Beck in the new YoHo Journal. Richard Beck introduces us to “hope sickness”. And I agree: the world suffers from desperate delusions as to the nature of our story. However, I would advocate a slightly different antidote to this materialist poison. What the dominant worldview can’t… Continue reading “Death and life are asymmetrically joined. Therein lies hope.” – article in YoHo

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