Perennial Philosophy

  • What is Altruism?

    Matthieu Ricard uncovers the reasons why altruism is the vital thread that can answer the main challenges of our time: the economy in the short term, life satisfaction in the mid-term, and environment in the long term. The book paints… Continue reading

    What is Altruism?
  • Sufficiency Economy

    Everyone has been affected by the #economiccrisis and some of us know folks who are still reeling from how banks played dice with our futures. If you have an hour, you might want to learn a little about how Buddhist’s… Continue reading

    Sufficiency Economy
  • Artemis and Dark Matter

    Ginette Paris writes of Artemis: “The myth even makes her a Goddess whose beauty should not be exposed to human sight, as if to signify that this beauty exists for itself. The myths associated with Artemis suggest that one may… Continue reading

  • The Lives and Ideas of Robert Anton Wilson

    Happy birthday RAW! If you have about 90 minutes to spare, you would learn a great deal from watching this little documentary.   Continue reading

    The Lives and Ideas of Robert Anton Wilson
  • John Dee in circle of skulls

    Apparently, in the original version of this old masterpiece depicting Queen Elizabeth watching her court magician, John Dee was standing in a circle of the dead conjuring goddess only knows what. Hidden beneath a painting of the enigmatic Tudor polymath John… Continue reading

    John Dee in circle of skulls
  • Loving devotion

    Caring for another, being-open for that other and to that other: these are aspects of our animated existence, of our being-with others. Do not fail to see devotion where it appears nor fail to appreciate how all life teaches us lesson… Continue reading

    Loving devotion
  • Jane Bennet on Artistry and Agency in a World of Vibrant Matter

    Jane Bennet discusses her broader phenomenology of the material world. Hosted by the New School.   Continue reading

    Jane Bennet on Artistry and Agency in a World of Vibrant Matter
  • Transcendence, two thinkerings

    Talking about overcoming our everyday hustle and bustle in the older mystical tradition A perspective that strips away a good deal of the mystical language… Continue reading

  • Man-in-Pause: My Mid-Century Change of Life

    I got up yesterday–o3 January 2016–realizing the I was fed up with Facebook. I want to keep blogging, but what is the real use of sustaining Facebook? Sure, I’ll still let things from here cross post over there. But here’s… Continue reading

    Man-in-Pause: My Mid-Century Change of Life
  • Chaos Counseling

    Of course I practice Chaos Magick–what do you think AnarchoCynicism is other than the socio-political expression of something that is a profound F*CK YOU to all institutional power? The fact that I have a nihilistic character that dresses like a… Continue reading

    Chaos Counseling
  • Gestures of Belonging

    The fall has brought to fuller expression many notions with which I have been struggling for decades. The process of getting to a greater clarity has been difficult on my personal and professional relationships. In striving to find a path between friends… Continue reading

    Gestures of Belonging
  • Philosophical Espresso

    If you have not had a chance to watch Jason Silva do his philosophizing flow on his vlog, here are a few examples. Good stuff. Continue reading

    Philosophical Espresso
  • this fork

    fingers extending metallic scraping against a plate grabbing bits of a food delivering to a mouth laying on a tongue flavor, sustenance then letting-go and forgotten chew chew clink clink rest Continue reading

    this fork
  • The Big (Soul) University

    The entire existential project behind Karl Jaspers’ Idea of the University involves integrating a professor’s research with students’ search for their own selves. The Socratic teacher turns his students away from himself and back onto themselves; he hides in paradoxes, makes himself… Continue reading

    The Big (Soul) University
  • Aphorism 05Oct2015

    Either I risk myself venturing into the world and beyond—or I never will have my ownmost Self as freedom Continue reading

    Aphorism 05Oct2015
  • Lost art of speaking to a mass audience

    According to [John Armstrong, University of Melbourne] the way [the professionalization of the humanities] all got started was an accident of history that divorced the humanities from a mass audience. “They were set up without any concern for marketing because… Continue reading

  • Buddhism and Psychedelic Methods

    Austin Hill Shaw examines the nature of creativity, cosmology and psychedelic communion. Shaw practices in the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, “taking refuge in the Buddhist path” since 2002. Rather than seeing the use of psychedelic substances as antithetical to a Buddhist… Continue reading

    Buddhism and Psychedelic Methods