William Blake argued that the imagination is the key human faculty for knowing fourfold vision, life to the full, and our divine destiny. But he also knew it needed cultivating, training, discerning. In this talk, I look at Blake’s images that can become part of such a training. I also describe the schema of Ulro,… Continue reading William Blake: Imagination and Spiritual Sight, Pt 1
Posts
The Inklings and the Evolution of Consciousness: a trialogue
Jeremy Johnson writes: In this much anticipated episode, Becca Tarnas and Mark Vernon return to the Mutations podcast for a trialogue on the Inklings and the evolution of consciousness. Together we explore the prescience and relevance of J.R.R. Tolkien, Owen Barfield, and Jean Gebser respectively, during a time when history and myth appear to be… Continue reading The Inklings and the Evolution of Consciousness: a trialogue
Rupert Sheldrake & Mark Vernon on David Bohm & Infinite Potential
A new film, Infinite Potential: The Life and Ideas of David Bohm, has just been released for free online. In this episode of the Sheldrake-Vernon Dialogues, Rupert Sheldrake and Mark Vernon discuss its excellent telling of the dramatic life and revolutionary insights of this deep scientific thinker. Rupert first met Bohm in 1982 soon after… Continue reading Rupert Sheldrake & Mark Vernon on David Bohm & Infinite Potential
Dante’s Divine Comedy and Spiritual Sight
This is a recording of a richly illustrated talk I gave online as part of St Albans Cathedral’s online adult education programme. My canto by canto podcasts and YouTubes of the Divine Comedy are online.
A New Way of Seeing with John Vervaeke
My discussion with John on spiritual intelligence and perceiving wider reality: covering shifts of consciousness, the links between ascent and descent, simplicity and unity, 4E cognition, the transformation of freedom, and the centrality of love in knowing and participating.
Psi and the Limits of Science
This piece was written for The Idler. The modern world swears by science. If your intervention or idea is not evidence-based, you risk instant dismissal. So it’s odd when the same mindset refuses to acknowledge phenomena supported by way more evidence than, say, intergalactic dark matter or the chemical soup theory for the origins of… Continue reading Psi and the Limits of Science
Philosophy & The Creation of the Individual
Mark Vernon chronicles a revolution in consciousness, published in Philosophy Now. (Dust in the Wind, kenlaidlaw.com) Why do we think of philosophy originating with the ancient Greeks? After all, it’s clear that the ancient Egyptians, who preceded Pythagoras and Plato, Parmenides and Aristotle, by 2,500 years, practiced wisdom too: “The power of Truth and Justice… Continue reading Philosophy & The Creation of the Individual
From Ulro to Eternity: William Blake’s fourfold vision
This is the second half of a talk given to The Integral Stage as part of its series, The Future Faces of Spirit. The complete talk, along with links to others, is online here. What paths lie ahead for religion and spirituality in the 21st Century? How might the insights of modernity and post-modernity impact… Continue reading From Ulro to Eternity: William Blake’s fourfold vision
An introduction to Plato’s dialogues – online course
An Introduction to Plato’s Dialogues with Mark Vernon and Tom Hodgkinson We’ve all heard of Plato, Socrates and the dialogues, particularly the Republic. But who exactly were these brilliant Greeks? How did they live and what did they teach? What was each dialogue about? In this thorough course, Idler editor Tom Hodgkinson quizzes Plato expert… Continue reading An introduction to Plato’s dialogues – online course
What would Plato do in a pandemic?
What did he do? He’d treat it not only as a problem to solve but as an experience to understand. And what might be understood? “Modern people are attempting to live knowing only a fraction of what it is to be human.” A piece at The Idler, launching our new Introduction to Plato’s Dialogues. How… Continue reading What would Plato do in a pandemic?