Philosophy and Life
Recent writing and occasional thoughts on assorted matters.
- The Music of the Spheres. And the power of the discarded image Jan 11, 2026 - When our medieval forebears looked into the sky, they didn’t look into the vastness of space. They looked towards the lights of divine heavens. The enchanted, celestial vista, and its felt presence, is described by Owen Barfield in his book, Saving the Appearances. “If it is daytime, we see the air filled with light proceeding from a living sun, rather… … Continue reading The Music of the Spheres. And the power of the discarded image
- Stranger Things. Jung’s notion of synchronicity Jan 3, 2026 - Synchronicities are reported by many. If you keep a synchronicity diary or love inner dynamics, you’ll probably spot a link between your awareness and frequency increase. But what are these meaningful coincidences and what should we make of them? After all, they often seem playful or odd. New essay at my Substack, A Golden String. Continue to read here... … Continue reading Stranger Things. Jung’s notion of synchronicity
- Cosmic Vitality and the Activity of the Angels Dec 27, 2025 - Angels appear by the dozen over the Christmas period and New Year. Walk down the high street and see these celestial beings in lights! People adorn trees, as if remembering the angels of nature in the season that nature grows quiet. And there are the angels of stories and place - alive in the myths of the season, churches and… … Continue reading Cosmic Vitality and the Activity of the Angels
- “Albion Is Sick”. A Blakean thought for Christmas Dec 21, 2025 - Civilisational erasure was a nagging concern for William Blake. “Albion is sick,” he lamented, “sunk down in sick pallid languor.” The divine intelligences, also called the angels, who guard England’s wisdom are “smitten”, he observed, “Abstract Philosophy warring in Enmity against Imagination,” he added. Blake noted that much as King Lear’s rejection of Cordelia, for refusing to quantify her love,… … Continue reading “Albion Is Sick”. A Blakean thought for Christmas
- New Born Wonder. Jesus, Barfield, Blake Dec 19, 2025 - An audio version of this talk is at my podcast, Inner Life, available via podcast feeds. How can we understand what is happening today from the perspective of what is sometimes called salvation history? What might be struggling to be born in our times? Why is a spiritual analysis - an unfolding of consciousness - key? The talk was delivered… … Continue reading New Born Wonder. Jesus, Barfield, Blake
- The Infinite Value of Wise Innocence. A thought for the birthday of William Blake Nov 28, 2025 - William Blake arrived in the world at 28 Broad Street, London—his father’s hosier shop in the Soho neighbourhood of Britain’s capital city, and centre of the mercantile hubbub. The date was 28 November 1757, so today is his birthday. Birth itself always carried positive connotations for Blake. He referred to the spirit as “innocence”, which might be defined as the… … Continue reading The Infinite Value of Wise Innocence. A thought for the birthday of William Blake
- The Quiet Revolution and the New Theism. A conversation with Rupert Sheldrake Nov 23, 2025 - An audio version of this conversation is at my podcast, Inner Life, available via podcast feeds. The mood has shifted. Subjects that were once taboo - like God - are now discussed openly. So if a new theism is abroad, what might it bring? In this episode of the Sheldrake-Vernon Dialogues, Rupert Sheldrake and Mark Vernon ask why individuals engaged… … Continue reading The Quiet Revolution and the New Theism. A conversation with Rupert Sheldrake
- To Philosophize Is To Learn To Die. Part 2. Reading Plato’s Phaedo. Death is a Guru Nov 8, 2025 - Last week, we began a reading of Plato’s dialogue, the Phaedo, which includes the death of Socrates. Plato is, in my view,routinely misunderstood in the modern world and, a couple of weeks back, I suggested a way in which he can be better read. This reading of the Phaedo puts that insight into practice. Prison’s portal We have reached a… … Continue reading To Philosophize Is To Learn To Die. Part 2. Reading Plato’s Phaedo. Death is a Guru
- To Philosophise Is To Learn To Die. Part 1. Reading Plato’s Phaedo. The Hemlock Approaches Nov 1, 2025 - Last week, I wrote about how Plato is routinely misunderstood in the modern world and suggested a way in which he can be better read. This week, we turn to his dialogue, the Phaedo, which includes the death of Socrates, to put that insight into practice. Death as an opportunity to reflect on life. The practice is to bring the… … Continue reading To Philosophise Is To Learn To Die. Part 1. Reading Plato’s Phaedo. The Hemlock Approaches
- The Day William Blake Saw A Ghost. A tale for Halloween Oct 31, 2025 - Perceptual openness is a fundamental virtue in a Blakean way of life, and discernment is not an optional extra; a discriminating mind is an active agent in the esoteric domain if the weird and wonderful are not to remain merely that. There is another story which suggests as much. It relates the only time in his life that [Blake] saw… … Continue reading The Day William Blake Saw A Ghost. A tale for Halloween